Cardiovascular System Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 functions of blood?

A
  1. Transportation:
    - oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, hormones, heat and wastes
  2. Regulation:
    - body temperature, pH, water content of cells
  3. Protection
    - against blood loss through clotting and against disease through phagocytic white blood cells and proteins such as antibodies, interferons and complement
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2
Q

What are the components of the whole blood?

A
  1. Blood Plasma
    - a liquid extracellular matrix that contains dissolved substances
  2. Formed elements
    - cells (red blood cells or erythrocytes, white blood cells or leukocytes, and platelets) and cell fragments
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3
Q

What is Hemopoiesis?

A

The formation of blood and occurs in red bone marrow.

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4
Q

What is hemostasis?

A
  • hemostasis is a sequence of responses that stops bleeding when blood vessels are injured
  • hemostatic response must be quick, localised to the region of damage, and carefully controlled.
    3 mechanisms can reduce loss of blood from blood vessels are:
    1. vascular spasm
    2. platelet plug formation
    3. blood clotting (coagulation)
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5
Q

What are the 5 types of blood vessels?

A
  • arteries
  • arterioles
  • capillaries
  • venules
  • veins
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6
Q

What is the function and structure of arteries?

A

Function:
- carry blood away from the heart to body tissue
Structure:
- walls consist of 3 layers
1. endothelium
2. smooth muscle (middle layer)
- gives arteries elasticity and contractility
3. outer layer

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7
Q

What is vasoconstriction?

A

A decrease in the diameter of the blood vessel lumen.
Vasodilation is an increase.

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8
Q

What are arterioles?

A
  • small arteries that deliver blood to capillaries
  • through constriction and dilation
  • play a key role in regulating blood flow from arteries to capillaries
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9
Q

What is the pericardium?

A
  • the membrane that surrounds and protects the heart and holds it in place
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10
Q

What are the layers of the heart wall and their structures/functions?

A

Epicardium (external layer)
- known as the visceral layer or serous pericardium
- is thin and transparent
Myocardium (middle layer)
- consists of cardiac muscle tissue
- constitutes the bulk of the heart
Endocardium (inner layer)
- thin layer of simple squamous epithelium and lines the inside of the myocardium and covers the valves of the heart and the tendons attached to the valves
- it is continuous with the epithelial lining of the large blood vessels

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11
Q

What are the four chambers of the heart?

A

The 2 upper chambers are the atria (entry halls/chambers)
The 2 lower chambers are the ventricles (little bellies)

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12
Q

Where is the interatrial septum? What is its main feature?

A

A thin partition between the right atrium and left atrium.
Has an oval depression called the fossa ovalis. The foramen ovale normally closes soon after birth.
It separates the right ventricle from the left ventricle.

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13
Q

Where does the right atrium receive blood from?

A
  • superior vena cava (brings blood mainly from parts of the body above the heart)
  • inferior vena cava (brings blood mostly from parts of the body below the heart)
  • coronary sinus (drains blood from most of the vessels supplying the wall of the heart)
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14
Q

where does the left atrium receive blood from?

A
  • oxygenated blood enters the left atrium via 4 pulmonary veins
  • blood passes to the left ventricle which then pumps the blood into the ascending aorta
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15
Q

functions and structure of the atrioventricular valve

A
  • lies between the atria and ventricles
  • av valve in between the right atrium and ventricle is the tricuspid valve (has three cusps)
  • av valve in between left atrium and ventricle is the bicuspid (mitral) valve (has 2 cusps)
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16
Q

function and structure of semilunar valves

A
  • near the pulmonary trunk and aorta are the SLV
  • they are called the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve
  • they prevent back-flow into the heart.
  • pulmonary valve lies in the opening where the pulmonary trunk leaves the right ventricle
  • aortic valve is situated at the opening between the left ventricle and the aorta
  • each valve has 3 semilunar cusps
  • semilunar valves permit blood flow in one direction only
17
Q

how is the movement of blood through the heart controlled?

A
  • by opening and closing of the valves and the contraction and relaxation of the myocardium
  • blood flows through the heart from areas of higher pressure to lower pressure
18
Q

sequence of blood flow 1-10

A
  1. deoxygenated blood enters right atrium
  2. moves into the right ventricle via the tricuspid valve
  3. moves into the pulmonary trunk and arteries via the pulmonary valve
  4. moves to the lungs where in pulmonary capillaries, blood loses carbon dioxide and gains oxygen
  5. oxygenated blood flows into the pulmonary veins
  6. blood moves into the left atrium
  7. moves into the left ventricle via the bicuspid valve
  8. moves into the aorta and systemic arteries via the aortic valve and travels to the rest of the body
  9. in systemic capillaries blood loses oxygen and gains carbon dioxide
  10. blood moves back into the heart via the superior/inferior vena cava’s and the coronary sinus
19
Q

what are the components of the conduction system?

A
  • consists of specialised cardiac muscle tissue that generates and distributes action potentials
  • sinoatrial SA node (pacemaker)
  • atrioventricular AV node
  • atrioventricular AV bundle (bundle of his)
  • bundle branches
  • purkinje fibers
20
Q

function/structure of SA node

A
  • located in the right atrial wall
  • begins cardiac excitation
  • natural pacemaker
21
Q

function/structure of AV node

A
  • located in the interatrial septum
  • at the AV node the action potential slows
  • provides time for the atria to empty their blood into the ventricles
22
Q

function/structure of AV bundle

A
  • from AV node, the action potential enters the AV bundle in the inter-ventricular septum
  • is the only site where action potentials can conduct from the atria to the ventricles
23
Q

function/structure of bundle branches

A
  • action potential enters both right & left bundle branches
  • these course through the inter-ventricular septum toward the apex of the heart
24
Q

function/structure of purkinje fibers

A
  • rapidly conduct the action potential
  • first to the apex of the ventricles and then upward to the remainder of the ventricular myocardium
25
Q

three phases of the cardiac cycle

A
  1. relaxation period
    - begins at the end of cardiac cycle when ventricles start to relax and all 4 chambers are in diastole
  2. atrial systole
    - contraction of atria
  3. ventricular systole
    - contraction of ventricles
26
Q

coronary heart disease

A
  • narrowing of coronary arteries
  • due to plaque formation
  • restricts blood flow to myocardium
  • can cause myocardial ischaemia (reduces/restricts blood flow)
  • can cause myocardial infarction (blocking of blood supply)
  • can cause angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to myocardium)
27
Q

atherosclerosis

A
  • pattern of arteriosclerosis (clogged arteries)
  • plaque build up narrows lumen
  • parts of plaque can break off and/or rupture which can block the artery completely
    begins in childhood
    risk factors:
  • high cholesterol
  • hypertension
  • diabetes
  • obesity
  • smoking
  • family history
28
Q

acute coronary syndrome

A
  • myocardial infarction or unstable angina
  • occurs when there is an abrupt, complete, or near complete blockage of a coronary artery
  • usually triggered by rupture or erosion of plaque
  • temporary occlusion = unstable angina
  • permanent total occlusion = acute myocardial infarction AMI
29
Q

angina

A
  • chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to myocardium
  • chest pain feels dull/heavy/tight and can spread to jaw, arms and back
  • can cause nausea and shortness of breath
  • can be controlled via medication but is an important warning sign of atherosclerosis and risk for MI or stroke
  • stable angina is more common and is brought on by physical exertion and stops with rest
30
Q

myocardial infarction

A
  • total occlusion of coronary artery
  • in total ischemia, cells are irreversibly damaged within 30-40 minutes
  • 7/10 people survive
  • can cause cardiac arrest
31
Q

heart failure

A
  • occurs when heart cannot pump blood well enough to meet bodies needs
  • muscle tissue becomes weak and ineffective
  • may involve either side of the heart, usually after a period of time both sides become affected
  • cannot be cured
  • medication and lifestyle adjustments can help manage the disease and prevent symptoms from becoming worse
32
Q

left heart failure (signs and symptoms)

A

S&S
- dyspnoea (shortness of breath)
- dizziness, fatigue and weakness
- orthopnoea (shortness of breath when lying down)
- productive cough with frothy sputum
- tachycardia (HR >100BPM)
- cyanosis (blue skin/lips)
- wheezing
- crackles at lung bases

33
Q

right heart failure (signs & symptoms)

A
  • pitting oedema (excess fluid build up causing swelling)
  • enlarged liver & spleen
  • ascities > difficulty breathing (fluid build up between lining of the abdomen and the abdominal organs) ( fluid pushes up on the diaphragm, compressing lower lungs)