The Heart Flashcards
What does the right side of the heart do?
Pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs
What does the left side of the heart do?
Pumps oxygenated to the lungs
How is the left ventricle different to the right ventricle physically?
Thicker and more muscular
Why is the left ventricle thicker and more muscular?
Has to pump blood to the rest of the body, needs more force
How are ventricles different to the atria?
Thicker walls
Why do ventricles have thicker walls than atria?
- They have to push blood out the heart
- Atria only have to push blood a short distance into ventricles
What is the purpose of the atrioventricular valves?
Stops blood flowing back into atria when ventricles contract
Where are the atrioventricular valves?
Between the atria and the ventricles
What are the two types of atrioventricular valve?
- Tricuspid
- Bicuspid
What side of the heart is the tricuspid valve?
Right side
What side of the heart is the bicuspid valve?
Left side
Where are the semi lunar valves?
Between ventricles and pulmonary artery + aorta
What is the purpose of the semi lunar valves?
Stops blood flowing back into ventricles from aorta and pulmonary artery after ventricles contract
What can be seen in an external examination of the heart?
- Four main vessels attached to the heart
- Left and right atria
- Left and right ventricles
- Coronary arteries
What is the difference between the way blood vessels feel in an external examination?
- Arteries: thick and rubbery
- Veins: much thinner
What are the steps in an internal examination of the heart?
- Ventricles cut open using scalpel
- Atria cut open using scalpel
What can be seen in an internal examination of the heart?
- Wall of left ventricle - thicker than the right
- Atria walls thinner than ventricle walls
- Structures of AV and semi lunar valves
What does the aorta do?
Carries oxygenated blood from left ventricle to body
What does the pulmonary artery do?
Carries oxygenated blood from lungs to left atrium
What does the vena cava do?
Carries deoxygenated blood from body to right atrium
What does the pulmonary vein do?
Carries oxygenated blood from lungs to left atrium
What does the left atrium do?
Pumps oxygenated blood from pulmonary vein to left ventricle
What does the right atrium do?
Pumps deoxygenated blood from vena cava to right ventricle
What does the left ventricle do?
Pumps oxygenated blood to the body through aorta
What does the right ventricle do?
Pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs through pulmonary artery