The heart, circulation and CVD Flashcards
Explain the difference between an open and closed circulatory system
Open circulatory system - No blood vessels, no blood but have haemolymph. Works via diffusion
Closed circulatory system - Blood vessels carry blood around the body. This blood has been pumped by the heart.
Why is a circulatory system required?
To transport blood around an organism. Diffusion is limited. Circulatory system overcomes this
Features of Arteries
- Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart (except pulmonary artery)
-Small lumen to maintain high blood pressure
-Smooth inner endothelial layer (smooth surface means less resistance to blood flow)
-Thick layer of smooth muscle (contract and relax to contract and dilate blood vessels-controlling their diameter) and elastins (stretch and recoil)
-lots of collagen fibres for strength and support
What are advantages of having a double circulatory system?
Blood comes to heart twice, the seconds time it is pumped it is oxygen rich
This means oxygen rich blood can pumped to organs and muscles.
Explain why large organisms such as giraffes need a mass transport system (4 marks)
Giraffes are very large mammals meaning they need a mass transport system to transport blood to muscles and organs. Giraffes have a small SA:Vol ratio meaning they cant rely on diffusion. The giraffe needs blood vessels like arteries to pressurise blood so the blood can travel up the long neck.
The double circulatory system removes carbon dioxide
Features of Capillaries
-Very small
-Narrow lumen
-Thin endothelium (one cell thick allows for fast rate of diffusion as distance is short)
-Blood travels slowly so that oxygen can diffuse properly
Features of Veins
-Carry deoxygenated blood into the heart (except the pulmonary vein)
-Have valves to prevent backflow of blood due to low pressure
-Large lumento maintain lower pressures
-Thinner layer of muscle and elastic fibres
-Reduced collagen fibres
Explain why muscle in left side of the hart is thicker than muscle in the right side of the heart
-Muscle in the left side of the heart pumps blood around body (via aorta). This blood needs to travel far so the muscles in left side of heart contract harder to produce a greater force so blood travels further around the body
Explain atrial systole
Atria contract causing atrioventricular valves to open and blood flows into the ventricles
In arteries, why is the endothelium folded?
So the arteries can stretch.
During the development of the mammalian heart, there is a hole between the left ventricle and the right ventricle.
This hole usually becomes sealed before the mammal is born. If it is not sealed, the mammal will become easily tired due to a lack of energy.
Explain why a mammal born with a hole between the two ventricles will have these symptoms.
Less oxygen for aerobic respiration.
Deoxygenated blood mixes with oxygenated blood
Reduces concentration of oxygen in the blood circulating round the body
Daphnia can be used to investigate the effects of caffeine on heart rate.
Devise a procedure to compare the effects of decaffeinated coffee and regular coffee on the heart rate of Daphnia.
(4)
An answer which makes reference to the following:
· Daphnia (immobilised) on (cavity) slide (1)
. acclimatisation time in {control / dopamine /dopamine and caffeine} solution (1)
. use of concentrations from graph (1)
. suitable method for counting and recording heart rate (1)
· use Daphnia of same {species / age / sex / size} (1)
. repeats and calculation of {mean / SD} (1)
Explain how pressure differences in the heart ensure efficient pumping of the blood into the arteries.
Pressure increases in the ventricles.
There is a greater pressure in ventricles than there is in the arteries causing the atrioventricular valves to close forcing blood into the arteries
State the type of blood vessel that has no collagen in its wall
Capillary
Explain why high blood pressure can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
High blood pressure causes damage to the endothelium of the arteries.
Plaque develops and narrows the lumen of artery causing blood to travel at a higher pressure
Narrow lumen means less oxygen in the blood can reach cardiac muscle for respiration
Explain how the diet of a person could affect the development of CVD.
A higher salt intake increases blood pressure which causes damage to endothelium of the artery.
High intake of cholesterol and saturated fats.
Explain how atherosclerosis can result in damage to the heart (3 marks)
Atherosclerosis causes the arteries to become narrower due to build up of an atheroma, this can create a blockage meaning less oxygen in the blood reaches the heart muscle for aerobic respiration.
Describe how very high blood pressure could result in atherosclerosis.
High blood pressure damages endothelium layer causing an inflammatory response. Build up of white blood cells/cholesterol leads to formation of an atheroma. Atheroma forms a plaque as calcium builds up. This hardens the atheroma and narrows the lumen
Compare and contrast the heart and circulatory system of a snake with that of a human (4 marks).
Similarities:
-Both have a double circulatory system
-Both have 2 atria, veins, arteries and capillaries
Differences:
-Snake heart doesn’t have a septum whereas human heart does.
-In snakes, oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mix
What are the factors affecting the incidence of coronary heart disease?
Increasing age (Arteries become less elastic with age)
Genetics (genetically predisposed to high blood pressure)
Diet (Diet can increase cholesterol)
Gender (oestrogen makes arteries more elastic)
High blood pressure (Damages endothelium)
Obesity (Increases blood pressure)
Physical activity (Increases obesity risk)
Smoking (nicotine narrows arteries)
Provide some treatments of CVD
-Anticoagulants reduce the risk of clot formation.
-Statins, which reduce blood cholesterol levels by blocking the enzyme which produces cholesterol in the liver.
-Antihypertensives, which reduce blood pressure.
-Beta blockers, which reduce the frequency of heart contractions and make them less powerful by blocking response of heart to hormones. However, taking beta blockers might increase risk of diabetes .
Which drug reduces blood pressure?
Anti hypertensives
Explain how atherosclerosis can result in damage to heart muscle.
Narrows the lumen of coronary arteries
This reduces blood flow of oxygen to cardiac muscle which reduces respiration
Why does blood need to clot?
Prevent blood loss
Prevent entry of harmful bacteria
Provides a framework for repair
Explain the process of blood clotting
Platelets release thromboplastin in response to damage
Causes prothrombin to change to its original form, thrombin
Turns soluble fibrinogen into fibrin, forming a mesh that traps blood cells
How can blood clots be detrimental to health?
Restricts blood flow meaning tissues dont get the oxygen supply needed
Explain ventricular systole.
contraction of the ventricles causes atrioventricular valves to close and semi lunar valves to open, allowing blood from left ventricle to leave via aorta and blood from right ventricle to leave via pulmonary artery
Explain cardiac diastole
Atria and ventricles relax and pressure inside the heart chambers decreases causing semi lunar valves in aorta and pulmonary artery to close, preventing backflow of blood.