The Heart

Question 1

Where is the heart located?

Answer 1

The heart is located in the thoracic cavity, medially within the mediastinum (between the lungs) and within it’s own cavity called the pericardium.

Question 2

What do you call blood traveling through the right side of the heart?

Answer 2

Pulmonary circuit

Question 3

Blood traveling from the left side of the heart is following what circuit?

Answer 3

Systemic Circuit

Question 4

How does blood travel through the systemic circuit?

Answer 4

Oxygenated Blood is received from the R&L pulmonary veins and drains into the Left atrium. Blood then travel through the mitral valve into the Left ventricle where its then pumped through the semi-lunar aortic valve and into the aorta where its then carried systemically.

Question 5

How does blood travel through the pulmonary circuit?

Answer 5

Deoxygenated blood is returned to the heart via superior and inferior Vena Cava and drains into the right atrium. It’s then pushed into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve and then pumped into the pulmonary trunk through the semi-lunar pulmonary valve. Blood is then carried to the lungs.

Question 6

What are the layers of the pericardium?

Answer 6

1. Fibrous pericardium
2. Parietal Layer
   - Pericardial cavity
3. Epicardium

Question 7

What are the layers of the heart wall?

Answer 7

1. Epicardium
2. Myocardium: Cardiac muscles with collagenous fibers
3. Endocardium

Question 8

What makes up the endocardium and where else can it be found?

Answer 8

Endocardium is simple squamous epithelium.

Lines blood vessels, lines atria and ventricles.

Question 9

What do you call valves between the atria and the ventricles?

Answer 9

atrioventricular valves

Question 10

What do you call the valves between the ventricles and their opening to the main arteries?

Answer 10

Semilunar valves

Question 11

What is fibrous pericardium made of?

Answer 11

Tough, dense, irregular connective tissue.

Question 12

What is the function of the fibrous pericardium?

Answer 12

Protects the heart and maintains its position in the thorax.

Question 13

What is Systole?

Answer 13

Caused by an action potential contracting the atrial muscles to pump the blood into the ventricles which are then pumped again to push them out of the arteries of the heart.
- Atrial systole
- Ventricle systole

Question 14

What is diastole?

Answer 14

Is when the heart chambers are relaxed and blood fills the atria increasing pressure.