Week 4: Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What are the great vessels of the heart?
Superior and inferior vena cavae
Pulmonary trunk, arteries and veins
Aorta
What separates the right atrium and ventricle? Where does blood move to after exiting the right ventricle?
The tricuspid valve
Blood is sent into pulmonary circulation via the pulmonary trunk that divides into the right and left pulmonary arteries after leaving the right ventricle
What separates the left atrium and ventricle? Where does blood go after leaving the left ventricle?
The mitral valve
The left ventricle sends blood to the systemic circulation via the aorta
What are the blood vessels of the ascending aorta and aortic arch?
Ascending aorta: coronary arteries
Aortic arch: brachiocephalic trunk (R subclavian and R common carotid), left common carotid artery and left subclavian artery
Identify A - G
A - Brachiocephalic trunk
B - Right subclavian artery
C - Right common carotid artery
D - Left common carotid artery
E - Left subclavian artery
F - Ligamentum arteriosum
G - Left pulmonary artery
What does the subclavian artery supply?
The upper limb (where it becomes the axillary artery, which mainly supplies the upper limb) and neck (smaller branches)
What does the common carotid artery become and what does it supply?
It becomes the internal carotid (brain, mostly) and external carotid (outer head, neck, superficial face) arteries
What veins parallel the carotid arteries? How do these flow and converge with other veins on their way back to the heart?
The internal and external jugular veins. The internal jugular vein meets up with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein. Two brachiocephalic veins from either side of the body will meet up and become the superior vena cava (SVC).
How are the brachiocephalic veins and trunk different?
There are two brachiocephalic veins that drain the R and L sides of the head, and link up to form the SVC.
There is only one brachiocephalic trunk on the R side, which splits into the carotid arteries nearer to the head, and the subclavian artery that supplies the upper limb and neck
What are the upper limb arteries?
Axillary artery (stems from the subclavian artery)
Brachial artery (anterior compartment), and near the elbow divides into the…
Radial and ulnar arteries (superficial and deep palmar arches)
Label A - K
A - Right subclavian artery
B - Axillary artery
C - Humeral circumflex
D - Deep brachial
E - Brachial
F - Ulnar collateral
G - Radial
H - Ulnar
I - Deep palmar arch
J - Superficial palmar arch
K - Digital
What is the Allen test?
The Allen test assesses palmar arch bloodflow.
First, you occlude the radial and ulnar arteries with the thumbs. Then, you release one artery or the other to see if bloodflow/color returns, indicating at least some proper bloodflow through the palmar arch.
What are the branches of the descending aorta and what do they supply?
The descending (thoracic) aorta becomes the:
Bronchial artery (supplies the bronchi)
Pericardial artery (pericardium)
Esophageal artery (esophagus)
Mediastinal artery (mediastinum)
Posterior intercostal artery (thoracic wall)
What system drains the thoracic wall and structures?
The azygos system of veins on the posterior thoracic wall drains the wall and it’s accompanying structures into the SVC (intercostals, pericardium, esophagus, etc.)
What are the three main aortic branches that supply the digestive organs? Which region do they supply? What must the aorta cross before this happens?
The aorta must first pass into the abdomen by crossing the diaphragm, thereby becoming the abdominal aorta. The main gut arteries are unpaired, and include:
The celiac trunk supplies the foregut
The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) supplies the midgut
The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) supplies the hindgut
What drains the structures supplies by the celiac, SMA and IMA? What structures are NOT drained by this vein?
The portal vein, which divides into sinusoids in the liver, and then into hepatic veins that drain into the inferior vena cava (IVC)
Organs that are NOT a part of the gut system like the kidneys, adrenal glands, diaphragm, etc. will NOT drain into the portal vein.
How is the hepatic portal circulation different from normal circulation?
Normal circulation moves blood from:
artery –> capillary bed –> veins
Hepatic portal circulation moves blood from:
artery –> capillary bed in stomach/intestine –> hepatic portal vein –> capillary bed in liver sinusoids –> hepatic vein/IVC
What is the difference between portal veins and systemic veins? How are they different, and where do they connect?
Both portal and systemic veins are found in the abdominal cavity, but portal veins travel to the liver first before moving into the IVC, whereas systemic veins tend to end up moving blood directly back to the IVC.
However, the portal circulation anastamoses with the systemic circulation at the esophagus, rectum and paraumbilical area (anterior abdominal wall)
How and where does the aorta terminate?
The abdominal aorta terminates in the abdomen at the common iliac arteries, which subdivide into the:
external iliac artery, which supplies the lower limb, and becomes the femoral artery as it passes through the pelvic region
and the
internal iliac artery, which supplies the pelvic viscera, perineum, gluteal region and inner thigh
What does the femoral artery supply and what does it become?
The external iliac artery passes under the inguinal ligament and becomes the femoral artery, which supplies most of the lower extremity.
The femoral artery passes through the femoral triangle into the popliteal fossa, where it becomes the popliteal artery
The popliteal artery then branches into the anterior/posterior tibial artery
The anterior tibial artery becomes the dorsalis pedis artery in the dorsal foot, an important pulse point in the body.
