The Structure Of The Heart Flashcards
What is the atrium
Is thin walled and elastic and stretches as it collects blood
What is the ventricle
Much thicker muscular wall as it has to contract strongly to pump blood some distance, either to the lungs or to the rest of the body
Suggest why it’s important to prevent mixing of the blood in the two sides of the heart
The mixing and of oxygenated and deoxygenated bloody would result in only partially oxygenated blood reaching the tissues and lungs. This would mean the supply of oxygen to the tissues would be inadequate and there would be a reduced diffusion gradient in the lungs, limiting the rate of oxygen uptake
What two valves prevent the backflow of blood into the atria when the ventricles contract
The left atrioventricular (biscupid) valve
The right atrioventricular (tricuspid) valve
Why does the left ventricle have a thicker wall then the right
As the RV pumps blood only to the lung, the LV has a tick muscular wall to enable it to contract to create enough pressure to pump bloody to the rest of the body
Where is the aorta connected and what does it do
Connected to the left ventricle
Carries oxygenated bloody to all parts of the body except lungs
Where is the vena cava connected and what does it do
Connected to the right atrium and brings deoxygenated blood back from the tissues of the body
Where is the pulmonary artery connected and what does it do
Connected to the right ventricle
Carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where its oxygen is replenished and it’s co2 is removed. Unusually for an artery it carries deoxygenated blood
Where is the pulmonary vein connected and what does it do
Connected to the left atrium
Brings oxygenated blood back from the lungs. Unusually for a vein it carries oxygenated blood
What’s the name of the blood vessels the hearts supplied by
Coronary arteries, which branch off the aorta shortly after it leaves the heart
What will blockages of the coronary arteries lead to? Why?
Myocardial infarction or heart attack
Because an area of the heart muscle is deprived of blood and therefore oxygen also the muscle cells in this region are unable to respire and so die
