B1 Flashcards
(84 cards)
What are the four chambers of the heart?
Right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle
The heart consists of two atria and two ventricles.
What separates the top chambers from the bottom chambers in the heart?
Valves
Valves prevent backward flow of blood.
What type of blood enters the right atrium?
Deoxygenated blood
Deoxygenated blood is represented as blue.
Where does deoxygenated blood go after the right atrium?
Right ventricle
The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs for oxygenation.
What happens to blood in the lungs?
It is oxygenated
Oxygenated blood is represented as red.
Where does oxygenated blood return after the lungs?
Left atrium
Oxygenated blood then moves to the left ventricle.
What is the main blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood to the body?
Aorta
The aorta distributes oxygenated blood from the left ventricle.
What is the sinoatrial node (SAN)?
The heart’s pacemaker
It is responsible for the regular contraction of the heart muscle.
What does myogenic mean in relation to heart muscles?
They contract spontaneously
Myogenic muscles do not require stimulation by nerve cells.
What is cardiac output?
The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute
Cardiac output is calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.
How is cardiac output calculated?
Cardiac output = heart rate X stroke volume
Example: cardiac output = 70 × 132 = 9240 ml/minute.
What is the heart rate?
The number of heart beats per minute
It is a component used to calculate cardiac output.
What is stroke volume?
The volume of blood pumped out of the heart at each beat
It is measured in millilitres.
Fill in the blank: The _______ divides the left and right sides of the heart.
Septum
The septum prevents mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
True or False: The left ventricle has thicker cardiac muscle than the right ventricle.
True
The left ventricle pumps blood to the entire body, requiring more muscle strength.
What are the main functions of the valves in the heart?
Prevent backward flow of blood
Valves ensure unidirectional blood flow through the heart chambers.
What carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart?
Superior vena cava
It is one of the major veins returning blood to the right atrium.
What carries oxygenated blood from the left lung to the heart?
Left pulmonary vein
It delivers oxygen-rich blood to the left atrium.
What carries deoxygenated blood to the left lung?
Left pulmonary artery
This artery transports deoxygenated blood from the heart.
What are the main structural features of arteries?
• Relatively thick wall
• Smooth muscle
• Elastic fibres
• Lined with smooth layer of endothelial cells
• Narrow lumen
Arteries are designed to withstand high blood pressure and allow for changes in blood flow.
What is the main function of arteries?
• Withstand high blood pressure
• Alter diameter of lumen to vary blood flow
• Stretch and recoil to smooth blood flow
• Low friction surface to ease blood flow
These functions are critical for maintaining proper blood circulation.
What are the structural characteristics of capillaries?
• Very thin wall (just one cell thick)
• Small lumen
Capillaries facilitate the exchange of materials between blood and tissues.
What are the structural features of veins?
• Relatively thin wall
• Very little smooth muscle or elastic fibres
• Wide lumen
• Valves
Veins have valves to prevent backflow and ensure a one-way flow of blood toward the heart.
What is the function of valves in veins?
• Stop backflow
• Ensure a one-way flow of blood toward the heart
Valves are essential for maintaining proper blood circulation, especially in the extremities.