The Heart Flashcards
Explain the double circulatory system of the heart.
Pulmonary ventilation is where the right hand side of the heart sends deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, via the pulmonary artery.
Systematic ventilation is where the left hand side of the heart sends oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body, via the aorta.
Why is it advantageous for the human body to have a double circulatory system?
Having two seperate pumps allows the left hand side to generate much more pressure to transport oxygenated blood around the body fast enough to maintain a high metabollic rate.
Where are the coronary arteries found and what is their function?
They are found on the surface of the heart, and they trabsport oxygenated blood to 5he cardiac muscles that make up the walls of the heart. This allows the cells to have a high rate of aerobic respiration for muscle contraction.
Describe the structure and functions of the atria
Thinnly walled upper chambers of each side of the heart.
They recieve blood from the Vena Cava/pulmonary vein and contract to move blood throigh the atrioventricular valves into the ventricles
Describe the structure and function of the venticles
They are lower chambers of the heart with very thick muscular walls. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood through the aorta to the rest of ten body.
What is the septum?
A wall of muscle that separates the right and left chambers of the heart.
What are the roles of the atrioventricular and semilunar valves?
Atrioventricular valves prevent backflow from the venticles to the atrium
Semilunar valves orevent backflow from the arteries to the ventricles
What are the tendinous cords?
They are innelastic connective tissues that are attatched to the AV valves and prevent them from inverting.
Why are muscles of the left ventricle much thicker than those of the right ventricle?
So they can contract with more force to generate a higher pressure so it can pump blood furtehr, aroun dthe rest of the body
What is the cardiac cycle?
One complete sequence of the contraction and relaxation of cardiac muscles in the heart, which pumps blood around the body
How does blood move?
From areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
State the three stages of the cardiac cycle
Diastole, atrial systole, ventricular systole.
Describe ethe stages of diastole during the cardiac cycle
Hesrt muscles relax and both atria fill with blood from the vena cava or pulmonary vein
Pressure is higher in the arteries than the ventricles so the semilunar valves are closed to lrevent backflow
Describe atrial systole of the cardiac cycle
As blood fills the atria. The atrial muscles contract to decrease the volume and therefore increase the pressure. This forces the AV valves to open, blood moves into the ventricles down a pressure gradient.
Describe the ventricular systole of the cardiac cycle
Ventricular muscles contract, the volume decreases and the pressure increases.
AV valves close to prevent backflow as pressure is higher in ventricles than atrium.
Blood is pushed upwards towards arteries at the top of the heart, forcing SL valves to open. Blood foows down pressure gradient into aorta/pulmonary arteries
Are cardiac muscles myogenic or neurogenic? Explain why
Myogenic, as the contractions arise from within the cardiac muscles themselves, instead of from impulses semt from the nervous system.
Where does the initial stimulation for muscle contractions in the heart start?
In the sinoatrial nodes (SAN) in the right atrium.