Heart Flashcards
(115 cards)
Afterload
Force the ventricles must develop to effectively pump blood against the resistance of the blood vessels.
Anastomoses
Area where vessels unite to allow blood to circulate even if there may be a partial blockage in another branch.
Anterior Cardiac Veins
Vessels that parallel the small cardiac arteries and drain the anterior surface of the right ventricle; bypass the coronary sinus and drain directly into the right atrium.
Anterior Interventricular Artery
(Left Anterior Descending Artery)
(LAD)
Major branch of the left coronary artery that follows the anterior interventricular sulcus.
Anterior Interventricular Sulcus
Sulcus located between the left and right ventricles on the anterior surface of the heart.
Aortic Valve
Aortic Semilunar Valve
Valve located at the base of the aorta.
Artificial Pacemaker
medical device that transmits electrical signals to the heart to ensure that it contracts and pumps blood to the body.
Atrial Reflex
Bainbridge Reflex
Autonomic reflex that responds to stretch receptors in the atria that send impulses to the cardioaccelerator area to increase HR when venous flow into the atria increases.
Atrioventricular Node
AV Node
Clump of myocardial cells located in the inferior portion of the right atrium within the atrioventricular septum; receives the impulse from the SA node, pauses, and then transmits it into specialized conducting cells within the Interventricular septum.
Atrioventricular Bundle
Bundle of His
Group of specialized myocardial conductile cells that transmit the impulse from the AV node through the Interventricular septum; form the left and right atrioventricular bundle branches.
Atrioventricular Bundle Branches
Left and Right Bundle Branches
Specialized myocardial conductile cells that arise from the splitting of the atrioventricular bundle and pass through the interventricular septum; lead to the Purkinje fibers and also to the right papillary muscle via the moderator band.
Atrioventricular Septum
Cardiac septum located between the atria and ventricles; atrioventricular valves are located here.
Atrium
pl Atria
Upper or receiving chamber of the heart that pumps blood into the lower chambers just prior to their contraction; the right atrium receives blood from the systemic circuit that flows into the right ventricle; the left atrium receives blood from the pulmonary circuit that flows into the left ventricle.
Auricle
Extension of an atrium visible on the superior surface of the heart.
Autonomic Tone
Contractile state during resting cardiac activity produced by mild sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation.
Autorythmicity
Ability of cardiac muscle to initiate its own electrical impulse that triggers the mechanical contraction that pumps blood at a fixed pace without nervous or endocrine control.
Bachmann’s Bundle
Interatrial Band
Group of specialized conducting cells that transmits the impulse directly from the SA node in the right atrium to the left atrium.
Baroreceptor Reflex
Autonomic reflex in with the cardiac centers monitor signals from the baroreceptor stretch receptors and regulate heart function based on blood flow.
Bicuspid Valve
(Mitral Valve)
(Left Atrioventricular Valve)
valve located between the left atrium and ventricle; consists of two flaps of tissue
Bulbus Cordis
Portion of the primitive heart tube that will eventually develop into the right ventricle.
Cardiac Cycle
Period of time between the onset of atrial constriction (atrial systole) and ventricular relaxation (ventricular diastole).
Cardiac Notch
Depression in the left lung where heart is located.
Cardiac Output (CO)
Amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle during one minute; equals HR divided by SV.
Cardiac Plexus
Paired complex of nerve fibers near the base of the heart that receive sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve signals to regulate HR.