SM 111a - Pressure-Volume Loops and the Cardiac Cycle Flashcards
Which event of the cardiac cycle occurs at #4?

The mitral valve opens

Which law explains why LV thickening is an adaptation to chronic hypertension?
Laplace’s law
Thickening of the LV is a response to increased pressure that will keep the wall stress on each individual myocyte constant

Between which two numbers does isovolumic relaxation occur?
What is happening physiologically?

Betwen #3 and #4 (F and A)
The LV is in diastole. It is relaxing, but pressure has not yet fallen below LA pressure. Both the aortic and mitral valves are closed

During which phases is blood flowing from the right atrium to the right ventricle?

From the beginning of the y descent (marked by v) to the closure of the tricuspid valve (end of atrial systole)

Which curve represents heart failure?

2
Lower stroke volume at every end diastolic pressure

What is wall stress?
How is it calculated?
Wall stress is the circumfrential force per unit area that must be exerted to maintain a particular pressure inside the left ventricle
A myocyte will fail above a certain level of stress; therefore, thickening of the LV (increasing h) is an adaptive mechanism that decreases the stress on each individual myocyte

Which event of the cardiac cycle occurs at #3?

The aortic valve closes

What event happens at #1?

The mitral valve closes

What does the a wave represent?

Right atrial systole, latter part of ventricular filling

What event happens at #4?

The mitral valve opens

Between which numbers does isovolumic contraction occur?
What is happening physiologically?

Between #1 and #2 (C and D)
The left ventricle is in systole; it is contracting, but pressure in the LV has not yet overcome the aortic pressure. Both the mitral and aortic valves are closed

Which event of the cardiac cycle occurs at #1?

Mitral valve closes

What is the physiologic basis of a split S2?
When are we most likely to hear it?
Split S2 results when the aortic valve closes slightly before the pulmonary valve
We are most likely to hear it upon inspiration. Inspiration creates negative pressure in the lungs, futher decreasing the pressure in the pulmonary trunk (compared to pressure in the aorta)
What is Laplace’s Law?
Give the equation and explain
Laplace’s law gives the equation for wall stress
Wall stress is proportional to pressure and radius, and inversely proportional to the thickness of the wall (h)
This explains why LV hypertropy is an adaptive mechanism to chronic hypertension

At which number/letter would we hear S1?

1/C
The mitral valve closes

What does the v wave respresent?

Right atrial filling

Which event of the cardiac cycle occurs at #2?

The aortic valve opens

Isovolumic contraction happens between which two numbers?

1 and 2

When is the left ventricle in systole?

From just before #1 through just before #3
The mitral valve closes (#1) when the LV pressure becomes greater than the LA pressure, due to LV contraction (systole)
The aortic valve closes when the LV pressure drops below the aortic pressure, due to LV relaxation (diastole)

How does increasing preload affect the cardiac cycle?
Increased preload ->
- Increased LV end diastolic volume (actually, increasing EDV usually results in increased preload)
- Increased stroke volume
- May be a small increase in LV end diastolic pressure
At which number should we hear S1?
At which nubmer should we hear S2?

S1: At #1, when the mitral valve closes
S2: at #3, when the aortic valve closes

How does increasing contractility affect the cardiac cycle?
Increased contractility ->
- Increased maximum systolic pressure
- Longer ejection time
- Increased stroke volume
- Due to decreased end systolic volume (more blood is squeezed out)
- No change in end diastolic volume
Isovolumic relaxation happens between which two numbers?

3 and 4

What does the y descent represent?

The y descent begins wehn pressure in the RA exceeds that of the RV
The tricuspid valve opens, and blood flows from the RA to the RV. The y descent ends when the RA contracts to squeeze the last bit of blood into the RV





























