Anatomy - Heart Vocab Flashcards
Atrioventricular valve
valve that connects the atrium and the ventricle, includes the tricuspid valve
Atrium
the upper part of the heart, receives the blood and sends it to the ventricle
Cardiac cycle
The cardiac cycle is a series of pressure changes that take place within the heart. These pressure changes result in the movement of blood through different chambers of the heart and the body as a whole. (beginning of one heartbeat to that of another)
Cardiac output
the amount of blood pumped by the heart minute
Diastole
the relaxation of the heart during which its cavities expand and fill with blood
Electrocardiogram
a test to record the electrical signals in the heart, measures heartbeats
Endocardium
a thin serous membrane lining the cavities of the heart
Epicardium
the outermost layer of the heart
Intercalated disc
specialized junctions between cardiac muscle fibers that allow for rapid electric transmission, called an action potential, and nutrient exchange
Myocardium
the middle muscular layer of the heart wall
Pericardium
The thin, fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart, including the top of the heart that is connected to major blood vessels, such as the aorta and vena cava
Purkinje Fibers
specialized cardiac muscle cells that conduct electrical impulses that allow coordinated contraction of cardiac muscle
Sinoatrial node
generates an electrical signal that causes the upper heart chambers (atria) to contract
Systole
period of contraction of the ventricles of the heart that occurs between the first and second heart sounds of the cardiac cycle
Ventricle
a chamber of the heart that receives blood from an atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries
