Cardiovascular Flashcards
(30 cards)
What does the cardiovascular system consist of?
Heart, blood vessels, and blood.
What is the function of the pericardium?
Covers the heart and large blood vessels attached to the heart.
Name the four chambers of the heart.
Left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, right ventricle.
What separates the atria and ventricles?
Atrioventricular septum.
What does the tricuspid valve do?
Prevents blood from flowing back into the right atrium.
What does the bicuspid (mitral) valve do?
Prevents blood from flowing back into the left atrium.
What are the semilunar valves?
Pulmonary and aortic semilunar valves.
Describe the flow of blood through the heart.
Body → right atrium → right ventricle → lungs → left atrium → left ventricle → body.
What is the cardiac cycle?
One complete heartbeat including atrial and ventricular contraction and relaxation.
What causes the ‘lubb’ heart sound?
Tricuspid and bicuspid valves snapping shut when ventricles contract.
What causes the ‘dubb’ heart sound?
Pulmonary and aortic valves snapping shut when atria contract.
What is the function of the SA node?
Generates electrical impulses; acts as the natural pacemaker.
What are the Purkinje fibers?
Fibers that cause the ventricles to contract.
What are arteries?
Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart under high pressure.
What helps move blood in veins?
Skeletal muscle contractions and valves.
What are capillaries?
Small blood vessels where oxygen and nutrients pass into body cells.
What is systolic pressure?
Pressure in arteries when ventricles contract.
What is diastolic pressure?
Pressure in arteries when ventricles relax.
What is Starling’s Law of the Heart?
More blood entering stretches the ventricle, increasing contraction force.
What is the function of baroreceptors?
Help regulate blood pressure by sending signals to the cardiac center.
What is pulmonary circulation?
Right side of heart → lungs → left side of heart.
What is systemic circulation?
Left side of heart → body → right side of heart.
What are the components of blood?
Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
What is the function of red blood cells?
Transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.