Heart Flashcards
define the thoracic cavity
the space within the thoracic cage, extending from the thoracic inlet to the diaphragm.
define thoracic inlet:
The opening into the thoracic cavity, bounded by the manubrium, 1st ribs, and T1 vertebra.
Bony Boundaries of the Thoracic Cavity
Anterior: Sternum
Lateral: Ribs
Posterior: Thoracic vertebra
Contents of the Thoracic Cavity
Happy: Heart and great vessels
Turtles: Trachea, bronchi, lungs
Eat: Esophagus
Treats: Thymus gland
Thoracic Cavity Divisions
Pleural Cavities: Located laterally on either side, containing the lungs.
Mediastinum: Located between the pleural cavities, subdivided into superior, anterior, middle, and posterior portions.
Mediastinum
The central compartment of the thoracic cavity, containing the heart and other structures, divided into superior, anterior, middle, and posterior portions.
Heart Position in the Mediastinum
The heart is situated within the middle portion of the mediastinum.
Layers of the Heart Wall
Epicardium: Thin outer layer of connective tissue.
Myocardium: Thick middle layer of cardiac muscle tissue.
Endocardium: Thin inner layer of endothelial tissue.
Epi - Myo - Endo
Fibrous Pericardium
Dense connective tissue layer, anchoring the heart to the diaphragm and blood vessels entering/exiting the heart.
Serous Pericardium
Thin double-layered membrane of the pericardium, containing a fluid-filled space called the pericardial cavity between layers.
Parietal Layer
Outer layer of the serous pericardium, fused to the fibrous pericardium.
Visceral Layer
Inner layer of the serous pericardium, fused to the heart (synonymous with the epicardium).
what is the membrane surround the heart called?
pericardium
Formation of Serous Pericardium
The process by which the heart drops into the fluid-filled sac, resulting in the formation of the double-layered membrane of the serous pericardium.
Importance of Serous Pericardium
Crucial in allowing the heart to expand and recoil during contraction and relaxation.
Inflammation or infection of the serous pericardium (pericarditis) can severely compromise the heart’s ability to contract, potentially leading to fatal consequences if left untreated.
Heart Chambers
The interior of the heart is composed of four chambers separated by portions of the heart wall.
Left and right atria: Superior chambers that receive blood.
Left and right ventricles: Inferior chambers that eject blood.
Left and right atria:
Superior chambers that receive blood.
Left and right ventricles:
Inferior chambers that eject blood.
interventricular septum
Portions of the heart wall that separate the four chambers.
Atria
Chambers of the heart that serve as entrance ways for blood into the heart.
Receive blood from outside the heart and drain blood into the ventricles.
Ventricles
Chambers of the heart that receive blood from the atria and eject blood into specific vessels (aorta and pulmonary trunk).
Have thicker walls with more cardiac muscle compared to the atria, to provide sufficient pressure for blood circulation.
Oxygenated vs. Deoxygenated Blood
Oxygenated blood is generally depicted as red, while deoxygenated blood is depicted as blue
Deoxygenated blood is darker than oxygenated blood but is not actually blue.
Deoxygenated blood contains less oxygen than oxygenated blood but is not completely devoid of oxygen.
how thin is the right atrium?
2-3 mm
how thick is the right ventricle
4-5
how thin is the left atrium?
2-3 mm
how thick is the left ventricle?
10-15 mm
Cardiac Valves
One-way valves within the heart that control the flow of blood through the cardiac circulation.
Left Atrioventricular Valve
Valve between the left atrium and left ventricle.
Other Names: Bicuspid Valve, Mitral Valve
Right Atrioventricular Valve
Valve between the right atrium and right ventricle.
Other Name: Tricuspid Valve
Left Semilunar Valve
Definition: Valve between the left ventricle and the aorta.
Other Name: Aortic Valve
Right Semilunar Valve
Definition: Valve between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk.
Other Name: Pulmonary Valve
Types of Valves in the Heart
Atrioventricular valves (2): Separate the atria from the ventricles.
Semilunar valves (2): Separate the ventricles from the arteries emerging from them.
what does the bicuspid valve refer to? what does the tricuspid valve refer to?
The bicuspid valve refers to it’s having two cusps or flaps.
While the tricuspid valve refers to it’s having three cusps or flaps.
how do the atrioventricular flaps open?
inferiorly
what do the atrioventricular valves (AV) allow?
allows blood to enter the ventricles
how do the semilunar valves open?
superiorly