Anatomy And Physiology Of The Cardiovascular System

Question 1

Where does the heart lie?

Answer 1

Mediastinum

Question 2

Function of pulmonary veins/ arteries?

Answer 2

Taking deoxygenated blood to lungs and returning oxygenated blood to the heart

Question 3

Function of heart valves

Answer 3

• support blood flow from areas of high pressure to low pressure
• ensures blood flows in the correct direction
• prevents the back flow of blood

Question 4

What are 3 parts of the aortic valve?

Answer 4

Left coronary cusp
Non coronary cusp
Right coronary cusp

Question 5

What are papillary muscles?

Answer 5

Mitral and tricuspid valves and supported by attachment of chordae tendineae (fibrous chords) attached to papillary muscles, located in the interior of ventricles

Question 6

What are the main coronary arteries?

Answer 6

LCA ( LCx and LAD)
RCA ( RPDA and RMA)

Question 7

Describe the left coronary artery

Answer 7

• supplied blood to the left side of the heart
• originates from aorta at the opening of the left aortic cusp
• divides into LCx artery: wraps around heart ensuring blood supply reaches the muscles on the posterior wall
  LAD: moves downward, supplying LV and muscles in front of the heart. Supplies >50% of cardiac muscle with blood = obstruction is life threatening

Question 8

Describe the right coronary artery

Answer 8

• Originates from RCC of aortic valve and wraps around right side of heart
• Gives rise to several arteries supplying RA, RV and SA and AV nodes
• Divides into smaller branches = right marginal artery and right posterior descending artery

Question 9

Where do coronary arteries originate from?

Answer 9

The aorta and run on top of the heart’s surface. This is what is visualised during a coronary angiogram and where stents can be placed

Question 10

What are micro vascular arteries?

Answer 10

Epicardia’s arteries branch into arterioles or capillaries, that branch into tissue. 95% of blood supplied to myocardial tissue is coming form microcirculation. If there is a problem with this, it cannot be stented but must be treated with medication

Question 11

Everything about arteries

Answer 11

• Carry blood away from heart
• High pressure
• Branch into arterioles, as you get further from heart
• Aorta carries oxygenated blood out of LV and travels up chest (ascending) and down into the stomach (descending) to deliver oxygenated blood to the body
• Coronary arteries branch off the aorta and supply blood to cardiac muscle
• Pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood to lungs