Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Human Anatomy B > Heart Physiology > Flashcards

Heart Physiology Flashcards

(59 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What are the three types of circulations in the body?

A

Pulmonary, systemic, and coronary circulations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the primary function of the pericardium?

A

To protect the heart and provide lubrication.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which vessels transport oxygenated blood?

A

Pulmonary veins and aorta.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Which vessels transport deoxygenated blood?

A

Pulmonary arteries and vena cavae.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe the flow of blood through the heart.

A

Blood flows from the body to the right atrium, to the right ventricle, to the lungs, to the left atrium, to the left ventricle, and back to the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the four heart chambers?

A

Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the function of the cardiac skeleton?

A

To provide structural support and electrical insulation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the three layers of the heart wall?

A

Epicardium, myocardium, endocardium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the heart conduction system responsible for?

A

Regulating the heartbeat through electrical impulses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the pacemaker potential?

A

The gradual depolarization of nodal cells that leads to action potentials.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the electrical events that lead to the contraction of myocytes?

A

Depolarization, calcium influx, and subsequent muscle contraction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

List the five phases of the cardiac cycle.

A
  • Atrial systole
  • Isovolumetric contraction
  • Ventricular systole
  • Isovolumetric relaxation
  • Atrial diastole
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the equation for cardiac output?

A

Cardiac Output = Stroke Volume x Heart Rate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What do positive chronotropic agents do?

A

Increase heart rate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What do negative chronotropic agents do?

A

Decrease heart rate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the three major variables that influence stroke volume?

A
  • Preload
  • Afterload
  • Contractility
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What do positive inotropic agents do?

A

Increase the force of heart contractions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What do negative inotropic agents do?

A

Decrease the force of heart contractions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What type of blood exits the right side of the heart to the lungs?

A

Deoxygenated blood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How does oxygenated blood return to the heart?

A

Through the pulmonary veins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Where does gas exchange occur in the circulatory system?

A

At the alveoli in the lungs and the systemic capillaries in the tissues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the basic pattern of blood flow in the circulatory system?

A

Deoxygenated blood flows to the lungs, oxygenated blood flows to the tissues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is coronary circulation?

Study These Flashcards
A

Circulation of blood to and from the heart tissues

25
What do coronary arteries do?
Carry oxygenated blood to the heart musculature
26
What is a myocardial infarction?
Death of a region of the heart muscle due to loss of blood flow ## Footnote This is often caused by an obstruction in coronary arteries.
27
What is pericarditis?
Inflammation of the pericardium resulting in excess fluid ## Footnote This limits the heart's movement and affects chamber filling.
28
What are the great arteries of the heart?
Pulmonary trunk and aorta ## Footnote They carry blood away from the heart.
29
What do the venae cavae do?
Carry deoxygenated blood to the right atrium ## Footnote This includes the superior and inferior vena cavae.
30
What separates the atria from the ventricles?
Atrioventricular valves ## Footnote These valves include the right and left atrioventricular valves.
31
What is the function of the fibrous skeleton of the heart?
Provides structural support and acts as an electrical insulator ## Footnote It prevents simultaneous contraction of the atria and ventricles.
32
True or False: The left ventricle has the thickest wall of all heart chambers.
True ## Footnote This is because it pumps blood into the systemic circulation.
33
What are intercalated discs?
Cell-to-cell junctions in cardiac muscle ## Footnote They allow for synchronized contraction.
34
What initiates and conducts action potentials in the heart?
The sinoatrial (SA) node ## Footnote It acts as the primary pacemaker of the heart.
35
What role do Purkinje fibers play in the heart?
Carry action potentials to the cells of the ventricles ## Footnote This triggers ventricular contraction.
36
Fill in the blank: The _______ is the backup pacemaker in the heart.
Atrioventricular (AV) node ## Footnote It takes over if the SA node fails.
37
What occurs during depolarization of nodal cells?
Depolarization begins with Na⁺ entering through funny channels, gradually bringing the cell to threshold. Then, Ca²⁺ enters through T-type and L-type calcium channels, leading to rapid depolarization. ## Footnote This leads to the initiation of an action potential.
38
What is the role of calcium in cardiac muscle contraction?
Triggers interaction of contractile proteins ## Footnote Increased intracellular Ca2+ levels are crucial for contraction.
39
What happens during the plateau phase of cardiac action potentials?
The influx of Ca²⁺ and the reduced efflux of K⁺ balance each other, maintaining the depolarized state and prolonging the action potential. ## Footnote This maintains depolarization.
40
Describe the contraction pattern of the atria.
Atria contract to compress walls and move blood into ventricles ## Footnote This narrows the heart.
41
What are the components of the cardiac muscle fiber anatomy?
Sarcolemma, T-tubules, sarcoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, mitochondria, myofibrils ## Footnote These structures work together for muscle contraction.
42
What is the resting membrane potential (RMP) of nodal cells?
-60 mV ## Footnote This value gradually increases to threshold.
43
What is the role of gap junctions in cardiac muscle?
Allow action potentials to spread between cells ## Footnote This enables synchronous contraction.
44
What happens during ventricular systole?
Ventricles contract, AV valves closed, and semilunar valves open ## Footnote This phase is crucial for blood ejection from the heart.
45
What is the definition of stroke volume (SV)?
Volume of blood ejected from a ventricle at each beat, equal to the difference between EDV and ESV ## Footnote Stroke volume is a key indicator of heart performance.
46
What is cardiac output (CO)?
Amount of blood pumped by a single ventricle in one minute ## Footnote CO is calculated as CO = HR x SV.
47
What does HR stand for in cardiovascular physiology?
Heart rate, measured in beats per minute (bpm) ## Footnote Typically regulated by the SA node.
48
Fill in the blank: The inherent SA nodal rate is approximately _______.
100 bpm ## Footnote This rate can vary due to autonomic innervation.
49
What are positive chronotropic agents?
Factors that increase heart rate by altering nodal cell activity ## Footnote Examples include norepinephrine and epinephrine.
50
What is bradycardia?
Persistently low resting heart rate in adults (<60 bpm) ## Footnote Can be a normal change in athletes or a sign of underlying conditions.
51
What is tachycardia?
Persistently high resting heart rate (>100 bpm) ## Footnote Often caused by heart disease, fever, or anxiety.
52
True or False: The sympathetic nervous system stimulation decreases heart rate.
False ## Footnote It increases heart rate through norepinephrine and epinephrine.
53
What effect does caffeine have on heart rate?
Inhibits breakdown of cAMP, increasing heart rate ## Footnote This can lead to increased contractility.
54
What is afterload?
The resistance in arteries to the ejection of blood ## Footnote It represents how hard the ventricles must work to eject blood.
55
What are inotropic agents?
Substances that act on the myocardium to alter contractility ## Footnote They can be positive or negative, affecting the strength of contraction.
56
Fill in the blank: Increased EDV causes an increased _______ of the ventricular heart wall.
stretch ## Footnote This stimulates additional crossbridges to form, increasing contraction strength.
57
What does Ejection Fraction (EF) represent?
The percentage of blood ejected from the heart relative to the end-diastolic volume ## Footnote EF is typically between 50-75% at rest.
58
What is the relationship between venous return and stroke volume?
Increased venous return positively correlates with stroke volume ## Footnote Lower venous return can decrease stroke volume.
59
What is a dicrotic notch?
A dip in aortic pressure following the closure of the semilunar valves ## Footnote It marks the onset of ventricular diastole.

Human Anatomy B (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions