The Heart Flashcards
(116 cards)
1
Q
Where is the heart located?
A
The heart is located in the mediastinum and the base lies on the 5th rib.
2
Q
What is the function of the heart?
A
The heart is basically a pump: it receives deoxygenated (more CO2) blood, sends it to the lungs to be exchanged with oxygenated blood and then pump it to the rest of the body.
3
Q
What encloses and holds the heart in place?
A
The pericardium
4
Q
What is another way to describe the inner layer of the pericardium?
A
The serous pericardium (has 2 layers)
5
Q
What are the two layers of the serous pericardium?
A
The parietal (outer) and visceral (inner) layer
6
Q
What is the space between the visceral and parietal layers of the serous pericardium called?
A
The pericardial space/cavity (fluid-filled)
7
Q
What is the role of the coronary arteries?
A
Supplies O2 + nutrients to the muscles of the heart (myocardium)
8
Q
The coronary arteries branch from the…
A
Ascending aorta
9
Q
Which artery supplies the left ventricle?
A
The left main coronary artery supplies the left ventricle.
10
Q
What does the left main coronary artery branch into? (3)
A
- It goes around the back of the heart into the left circumflex artery
- Then there’s the anterior interventricular artery (lies in the interventricular sulcus — separates the ventricles)
- Comes down and becomes the left anterior descending artery (LAD)
11
Q
What does the right coronary artery branch into? (2)
A
- The right marginal artery (hint: marginal = side)
- Then the inferior interventricular artery (posterior)
12
Q
What is the role of the coronary veins?
A
Picks up CO2 and waste from the heart
13
Q
Where do the branches of the coronary veins converge?
A
- The coronary sinus (think of it like rivers dumping water into a lake)
14
Q
Is the coronary sinus at the posterior or anterior of the heart?
A
The posterior of the heart
15
Q
Where does the coronary sinus dump its waste?
A
The right atrium
16
Q
What vein dumps CO2 and waste into the coronary sinus?
A
The great cardiac vein (LEFT)
17
Q
What are the coronary veins on the anterior of the heart? (4)
A
The great cardiac vein (LT) ; the small cardiac vein (RT); the anterior cardiac vein; and the oblique vein of the left atrium.
18
Q
What are the coronary veins on the posterior of the heart? (3)
A
The coronary sinus (in the coronary sulcus); the middle cardiac vein; and the posterior vein of the left ventricle.
19
Q
What are the branches of the left side of the thoracic aorta? (2)
A
The left subclavian artery and the left common carotid artery (CCA)
20
Q
Does the right branches of the thoracic aorta come directly from the aorta?
A
No, they come from the brachiocepahalic artery
21
Q
What are the branches of the brachiocephalic artery? (right branches of the thoracic aorta) (2)
A
The right common carotid and the right subclavian artery
22
Q
What are the branches of the superior vena cava?
A
The left and right innominate veins (each has their own LT/RT subclavian and internal jugular vein)
23
Q
What are the heart’s layers in its wall?
A
The epicardium, myocardium, and the endocardium
24
Q
What is the endocardium’s location?
A
The most inner layer
25
What is the myocardium’s location?
The middle layer of the heart’s wall
26
The myocardium is the major structure for… (2)
Electrical conductivity and contraction
27
What is the epicardium’s location?
The outer layer of the wall (attaches to visceral pericardium)
28
What are intercalated discs?
Exclusive to the heart, they connect myocytes (muscle cells) together.
29
What are gap junctions?
They are membrane channels that control ion and small cell movement.
30
What are desmosomes?
Proteins that glue cells together
31
What is a sarcomere?
A basic unit of muscle fibers: myosin slides along actin during a contraction, which requires ATP using calcium, troponin, and tropomyosin
32
The *right atrium* receives blood from where? (3)
*Superior/inferior vena cava* and the *coronary sinus*
33
The r*ight ventricle* receives and sends blood where?
Receives blood from the *right atrium*; sends blood to the *lungs*
34
The *left atrium* receives blood where?
The pulmonary veins
35
The *left ventricle* receives and sends blood where?
Receives blood from the *left atrium*; sends blood to rest of body
36
What is the purpose of the right and left atrioventricular valves?
The atrioventricular valves prevent backflow from the ventricles into the atria
37
What are the atrioventricular valves?
RT: tricuspid; LT: bicuspid (or mitral)
38
What is the purpose of the right and left semilunar valves?
Prevents backflow from the arteries into the ventricles
39
What are the semilunar valves?
RT ventricle: pulmonary; LT ventricle: aortic
40
What are pectinate muscles?
Parallel ridges in the atrial walls
41
What are trabeculae carneae?
Muscular ridges projecting from the inner surface of the ventricles (prevents suction)
42
What are chordae tendineae?
Fibrous cords connecting valve edges to the papillary muscles
43
What are papillary muscles?
Pillar-like muscles in ventricular walls and connects to chordae tendinae
44
What is the purpose of the papillary muscles?
Prevents inversion or closure of valves during contraction
45
What is the process of pulmonary circulation?
The exchange of O2 and CO2 in the lungs
46
Describe the steps of pulmonary circulation — **DEOXYGENATED** blood (8)
1. Superior/inferior vena cava
2. RT atrium
3. \>\>Right atrioventricular valve (tricuspid)\>\>
4. RT ventricle
5. \>\>Pulmonary valve\>\>
6. Pulmonary trunk
7. RT/LT pulmonary arteries
8. Lung capillaries (exhale CO2)
47
Describe the steps of pulmonary circulation — **OXYGENATED** blood (7)
1. Pulmonary capillaries (inhale O2)
2. LT atrium
3. \>\>LT atrioventricular valve (bicuspid/mitral)\>\>
4. LT ventricle
5. \>\>Aortic valve\>\>
6. Aorta
7. Rest of body
48
Nodal cells make up?
Specialized muscle cells that ignite the myocytes (spreading APs through heart)
49
What is polarization?
When the cell is at rest
50
What is depolarization?
When the action potential takes place
51
What is repolarization?
The return phase to polarization
52
What is systole also known as?
Heart contraction
53
What is diastole also known as?
Heart relaxation
54
What are some things involved in the cardiac cycle? (5)
Electrical events, pressure changes, heart sounds, volume changes, mechanical events
55
What is the function of the SA (sinoatrial) node?
The SA node is the pacemaker: it initiates depolarization and then *atrial* contraction
56
Where is the SA node?
Posterior wall of the RT atrium
57
What is the function of the AV node?
The AV node initiates *ventricular* depolarization
58
What is the function of the Bundle of His?
The Bundle of His causes depolarization of the interventricular septum
59
What is the function of the LT/RT Purkinje fibers?
Depolarizes/contracts LT and RT ventricles
60
What is the travel path of the conductive pathway? (4)
SA node; AV node; Bundle of His; LT/RT Purkinje fibers
61
The P wave represents?
The P wave represents *atrial* depolarization
62
The QRS complex represents?
The QRS complex represents the depolarization and contraction of the *ventricles*
63
The T wave represents?
The T wave represents the repolarization of the ventricles
64
What is the cardiac cycle?
A series of pressure changes in the heart chambers, resulting in movement of blood
65
What does atrial systolic pressure cause?
Blood moves from atria to ventricle via AV valves
66
What happens during the atrial filling phase? (atrial diastolic pressure)
* RT atrium fills with blood from inferior/superior vena cava
* LT atrium fills with blood from pulmonary veins
67
What happens to the heart’s blood flow in relation to ventricular systolic pressure?
* Ejected from LT ventricle → through aortic valve → aorta → rest of body
* Ejected from RT ventricle → through pulmonary valve → pulmonary trunk → lungs
68
What happens during the ventricular filling phase? (diastolic ventricular pressure — 5 to 7 mmHg)
Blood fills ventricles from atria
69
What does the S1 sound represent?
Closure of AV valves
70
What does the S2 sound represent?
Closure of semilunar valves
71
What does the S3 sound represent?
(Abnormal) AV valves open and ventricles rapidly fill with blood
72
What does the S4 sound represent?
(Abnormal) Associated with atrial contraction and always pathological
73
What is end diastolic volume?
Volume of blood in RT/LT ventricle at end of diastole filling
74
What is end systolic volume?
Amount of blood remaining in ventricle after systole end
75
What is cardiac output (CO)?
Volume of blood ejected from LT/RT ventricle at end of systole per min
76
What is ejection fraction?
Percentage of blood ejected from LT ventricle during systole (55-70 %)
77
What is the atrial contraction period?
Contraction of the atria after electrical stimulation
78
What is the isovolumetric period?
Ventricular systole starts (all valves close, then ventricular contractions) — blood volume remains constant in ventricles
79
What happens in the ventricular ejection period?
Ventricles eject blood to large blood vessels (AV valves are closed)
80
What are the phases in ventricular systole? (2)
Isovolumetric contraction, ventricular ejection
81
What is the isovolumetric relaxation period?
Aortic and pulmonary valves close (S2 sound) after ventricular pressure drop below diastolic aortic/pulmonary pressures. (beginning of diastole)
82
What is the ventricular filling period?
AV valves open and ventricular filling starts
83
What are the phases in the relaxation period? (2)
Isovolumetric relaxation, ventricular filling
84
What is stroke volume?
Amount of blood ejected per beat
85
What is contractility?
Inherent strength of heart’s contraction in systole
86
What is preload?
Strength of muscles (which is dependent on amount of blood coming in to RT ventricle) before pumping at end of diastole
87
What is afterload?
Resistance heart needs to overcome during/after aortic contraction in order to eject blood from ventricles
88
What are the hormones involved in heart rate regulation? (2)
Epinephrine, norepinephrine
89
What are the ions involved in the heart?
Sodium, potassium, calcium
90
What is known as the aging pigment?
Lipofuscin
91
What happens to the heart as you age? (3)
Deposits of lipofuscin; heart muscles degenerate; heart valves thicken/stiffen
92
How is a person’s sex related to the heart?
Size of heart and major blood vessels are smaller in females
93
How does physical fitness affect the heart?
Muscles can pull O2 from blood easier (reducing need to pump) and reduces stress hormones
94
What are the nerves involved with the heart? (3)
Vagus, sympathetic, parasympathetic nerves
95
What is directly related to increasing cardiac output? (2)
Increased stroke volume and heart rate
96
What increases your heart rate? (3)
The nervous system (📈 sympathetic, 📉 parasympathetic); chemicals; other factors (age, sex, fitness, temperature)
97
What increases stroke volume? (3)
Increased preload; increased contractility; decreased afterload
98
What is coronary artery disease and its usual cause?
CAD is damage to the major blood vessels of the heart and its usual cause is plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) which limits blood flow (symptoms can vary)
99
What is heart arrhythmia and when does it occur?
Improper beating of heart (either too fast aka tachycardia or too slow aka brachycardia) due to electrical impulses not working properly
100
How can heart failure occur?
When the heart cannot pump (systolic) or fill (diastolic) properly… most common type is congestive heart failure
101
What are some examples of what happens to your heart valve during heart valve disease? (3)
Stenosis: valve narrowing (can’t open right); regurgitation: loose leaflets (can’t close right); prolapse: leaflets stay open
102
What is pericardial disease?
The heart’s pericardium inflames, which can cause pericardial friction (chest pain)
103
What is cardiomyopathy and some symptoms?
Acquired/hereditary disease of the heart’s muscle. Symptoms include swollen legs/feet, bloated belly, and breathlessness.
104
What is ischemia?
Inadequate blood/O2 flow to heart’s tissues
105
What is angina?
Chest pain due to ischemia
106
What is myocardia infarction?
Heart tissue death due to ischemia
107
What is cardiac tamponade?
External pressure on heart (fluid in pericardial sac)
108
What is carditis?
Inflammation of the heart
109
What is the purpose of a blood test?
Shows muscle damage (troponin, lipid, cardiac enzymes)
110
What is the purpose of an ECG?
ECGs tests cardiac electrical activity and detects things like arrhythmias
111
What is the purpose of an echocardiogram (ultrasound)?
An echocardiogram checks valves and heart muscle contractions
112
What is a coronary angiogram (catherization)?
XRAY that tests for coronary artery blockages
113
What is a CCTA (coronary computed tomography angiogram)?
Imaging test that looks at the heart’s arteries
114
What is a coronary angioplasty?
A procedure to improve blood flow to the heart
115
What is thrombolytic therapy?
Medication preventing clot formation
116
What does an artificial pacemaker surgery do?
Replaces SA or AV nodes
