Cardiovascular Flashcards
(126 cards)
Main structural components of the circulatory/cardiovascular system
- heart - peripheral vascular system - haematological system (blood and components)
Function of the circulatory / cardiovascular system
- delivers oxygen, nutrients and other requirements to the cell - removes and transports waste eg carbon dioxide to be excreted
Three types of circulation
- pulmonary (to/from the lungs) - systemic (to/from the body tissues) - coronary (supplying blood to the heart tissue)
What is the main influence on coronary circulation flow
the pressure in the aorta
Valves within the heart
- atrioventricular valves (open when ventricles are relaxed) * tricuspid valve * mitral valve - semilunar valves (open when ventricles are contracting) * pulmonary semilunar valve * aortic semilunar valve
Layers of the blood vessel from inside out
- Lumen - Tunica intima (simple squamous epithelial cells) - Tunica media - Tinuca adventitia
Differences between the structure of veins and arteries
- Veins lumens are wider - Arteriers tunica media is wider - Veins have valves - arteries closer to the heart have more elastic fibres i the tunica media - veins have more smooth muscle to assist in returning blood to the heart against gravity - some capilliaries (eg those in the lungs) are only 1 epithelial cell wide
Blood flow resistance is impacted by:
- vessel length - vessel diameter - blood viscosity - blood turbulence
3 main components of blood
- erythrocytes (red blood cells) - leukocytes (white blood cells) - thrombocytes (platelets)
The 4 stations of the conductive pathway of the heart
- SA node (aka pacemaker) - located in the right atria and starts the spark - AV node - located on the back wall of the heart between the right atria and right ventricle - Bundle of HIS - located in the septum - the Pirjinke Fibres - spread the electrical charge throughout the myocardium
Blood flow through the entire circulatory system
Right atrium > right AV valve > right ventricle > pulmonary SL valve > pulmonary artery > arterioles > capillaries > venuoles > veins > pulmonary vein > left atrium > left AV valve > left ventricle > aortic SL valve > aorta > arteries > arterioles > capillaries > venuoles > veins > vena cava > right atrium
Layers of the heart wall from outside in
- pericardium (serous pericardium, aka epicardium) * parietal layer * visceral layer - myocardium - endocardium
What is the serious pericardium and what does it do?
- double walled membranous sac - protects the heart from infection and inflammation - anchors the heart in place - contains nociceptors and mechanoceptors which cause changes in blood pressure and heart rate - the parietal and visceral layers are separated by the fluid-filled pericardial cavity which lubricates and reduces friction as the heart beats
Heart sounds
S1 - occurs when the atrioventricular valves close, during ventricular contraction S2 - occurs when the semilunar valves close, ventricular relaxation
Where is it easiest to hear each of the valves?
• aortic valve: second intercostal space on the right-hand side of the sternum • pulmonary valve: second intercostal space on the left-hand side of the sternum • tricuspid valve: fourth intercostal space on the left-hand side of the sternum • mitral valve: fifth intercostal space in the midclavicular line (apex)
What are diastole and systole?
- diastole - relaxation, blood fills the ventricles - systole - contraction, propels blood from the ventricles
What is the cardiac cycle?
- atrial systole 2. isovolumetric ventricular contraction 3. ejection 4. isovolumetric ventricular relaxation 5 passive ventricular filling
Main branches of the coronary arteries
- left coronary artery - left anterior descending artery (aka anterior interventricular artery) - circumflex artery - right coronary artery
What is angiogenesis?
growth of new blood vessels
What are the 5 key phases to the cardiac action potential?
0 depolarisation 1 early rapid repolarisation 2 plateau phase 3 final rapid repolarisation 4 resting membrane phase
What do the different sections of an ECG show?
- P wave - right and left atrial depolarisation - PR interval - time from the onset of atrial activation to the onset of ventricular activation (~0.12 to 0.2 seconds) - QRS complex - ventricular depolarisation - ST segment - ventricular myocardium is depolarised, ventricles are contracting - QT interval - electrical systole of the ventricles - T wave - ventricular repolarisation - TP segment - ventricular relaxation and filling
What is cardiovascular disease?
Disorders of the heart and blood vessels.
What is coronary heart disease (aka ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart disease)?
Disorders of the coronary arteries, eg. angina, myocardial infarction
What is arteriosclerosis?
chronic abnormal thickening and hardening of artery walls

