Physiology of the Cardiovascular System

Question 1

What are three purposes of the cardiovascular system?

Answer 1

• Move blood around of body
• Oxygen and nutrient dispersement
• Get rid of waste products

Question 2

Describe the arterial system.

Answer 2

• Oxygen and nutrient containing blood

- High pressure transport

Question 3

Describe the venous system.

Answer 3

• Blood returned here

- Low pressure return

Question 4

What side of the heart is low pressure?

Answer 4

Right side.

Question 5

What side of the heart is high pressure?

Answer 5

Left side.

Question 6

How many chambers are in the heart?

Answer 6

Four motherfucker.

Question 7

Which ventricle is larger and why?

Answer 7

Left ventricle is larger because it has to pump blood to the entire body, while the right ventricle only pumps blood to the lungs.

Question 8

How does blood flow in the heart?

Answer 8

Through unidirectional valves from atrium to ventricle

Question 9

What is a heart murmur?

Answer 9

Turbulence caused by a leak in valve causing bidirectional flow.

Question 10

When the atrium is empty, the valve is ______. When the atrium is full, the valve is ______.

Answer 10

Atrium empty = valve closed

Atrium full = valve open

Question 11

When the ventricle is full, the valve is _____.

Answer 11

Closed.

Question 12

What are cardiac muscles called?

Answer 12

Cardiomyocytes.

Question 13

How does cardiac muscle differ from skeletal muscle?

Answer 13

• Cardiac muscle has its own internal electical system

- Cardiac muscles have gap junctions

Question 14

What are gap junctions, and why are there so many of them in cardiac muscle?

Answer 14

Tunnels that allow for movement between adjacent cells. So many allow for consistent pumping.

Question 15

90% of cardiac cells are ____ cells. 10% of cardiac cells are ____ cells.

Answer 15

90% - contractile

10% - pacemaker (autorhythmic)

Question 16

What do pacemaker cells do, and what are the three sets?

Answer 16

• Sets baseline rate of contraction independent of rest of body
• Sinoatrial node, atrialventricular node and Purkinje fibers

Question 17

What are the individual functions of the sinoatrial nodes, atrialventricular nodes and Purkinje fibers?

Answer 17

• Sinoatrial node - causes contact and push into ventricle (sets pace for rest)
• Atrialventricular node - responsible for contraction of ventricle
• Purkinje fibers - Responsible for contraction of ventricle

Question 18

Do autorythmic cells have no resting potential?

Answer 18

Yes, the do not have resting potentials.

Question 19

How does the autonomic nervous system modify heart rate?

Answer 19

Parasympathetic slows it.

Sympathetic speeds it up.

Question 20

T or F: Smooth muscle is thicker on the artery side.

Answer 20

Fucking true.

Question 21

Why are capillaries so thin?

Answer 21

For efficient nutrient and gas exchange during rapid blood flow.

Question 22

What does hydrostatic pressure do between tissue and blood?

Answer 22

Drives nutrients out of blood and into interstitial fluid.

Question 23

What does osmotic pressure do between tissue and blood?

Answer 23

Drives waste products into blood.

Question 24

Why do runner’s experience a high, or flow-mediated dilation?

Answer 24

Blood flow creates shear stress in veins. Vessel membranes tugged, acting on pressure sensors. eNOS flows into smooth muscle, causing muscle to relax and increasing body’s capacity to make blood.