The Heart, Vessels And Superior And Posterior Mediastinum

Question 1

Where can you listen to the apex beat of the heart?

Answer 1

5th intercostal space midclavicular line.

Approximately under the left nipple

Question 2

Where does the azygous system of veins drain into?

Answer 2

Superior vena cava. Both hemi azygous and accessory azygous veins drain into the azygous vein

Question 3

Describe the conducting system of the heart

Answer 3

Excitation signal at sinoatrial node (SAN)
Causes atria to contract.
Signal reaches atrioventricular node (AVN)
Signal delayed
Signal conducted into bundle of His down septum
BoH and Purkinje fibres help spread signal up myocardium to cause contraction of ventricles

Question 4

At what phase of the cardiac cycle do the coronary arteries fill and why?

Answer 4

Ventricular diastole. As blood recoils it fills the aortic sinuses and enters to the coronary arteries to supply myocardium

Question 5

Describe the tricuspid valve and where would you find it?

Answer 5

Has 3 cusps and is found between R atrium and R ventricle

Question 6

Describe the mitral valve and where would you find it?

Answer 6

Has 2 leaflets, found between L atrium and L ventricle

Question 7

What is the ductus arteriosus and what does it become?

Answer 7

Blood vessel that connects the aorta to the pulmonary artery. It allows blood from the right ventricle to bypass the lungs.

After birth it becomes the ligamentum arteriosum

Question 8

What is the fossa ovalis a remnant of?

Answer 8

The foramen ovale in foetal circulation which allows blood to bypass the lungs by shunting the blood directly from the right atrium to the left atrium

Question 9

What arteries come off the arch of the aorta?

Answer 9

Brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid and left subclavian arteries