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Anatomy & Physiology > The heart > Flashcards

The heart Flashcards

(72 cards)

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1
Q

Location of the heart

A
  • Between the second and fifth intercostal space.
  • Between the third and sixth costal cartilage
  • Midclavicular line
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2
Q

What does the right atrium form?

A

The right border

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3
Q

What does the right ventricle form?

A

The inferior border and most of the anterior surface

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4
Q

What does the left ventricle form?

A

The left border and apex

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5
Q

What are the 4 great vessels entering and leaving the heart?

A
  • Superior and inferior vena cava
  • Pulmonary trunk
  • Pulmonary veins
  • Aorta
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6
Q

What’s the role of the superior and inferior vena cava?

A

Bring deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium

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7
Q

What’s the role of the pulmonary trunk?

A

Takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs

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8
Q

What’s the role of the pulmonary veins?

A

Bring oxygenated blood back to the left atrium

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9
Q

What’s the role of the Aorta?

A

Takes oxygenated blood to the body

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10
Q

What is pericardium and what is it made up of?

A

The outermost layer and is made up of 2 sacs

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11
Q

What is the outer sac of the pericardium called?

A

Fibrous pericardium

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12
Q

What does the fibrous pericardium consist of?

A

Fibrous tissue

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13
Q

What is the basic function of the pericardium?

A

To lubricate the moving surfaces of the heart

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14
Q

Describe the location of the fibrous pericardium

A

It is continuous with the tunica adventitia of the great blood vessels above and is attached to the diaphragm below

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15
Q

What is the role of the fibrous pericardium?

A

It protects and prevents over-distension of the heart.

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16
Q

What is the inner layer of the pericardium called?

A

Serous pericardium

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17
Q

Describe the serous pericardium

A

A single layer of the endothelial cells. folded over itself , forming a double membrane around the heart with an enclosed space in between the layers.

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18
Q

What is the outer layer of the serous pericardium called?

A

Parietal pericardium

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19
Q

What is the visceral pericardium (epicardium) layer?

A

An inner layer of the pericardium, firmly attached to the myocardium below

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20
Q

What is myocardium?

A

Specialised cardiac muscle found only in the heart

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21
Q

Describe the myocardium

A

It is striated and is under involuntary control

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22
Q

Describe the cells of the myocardium

A

Each fibre has a nucleus and one or more branches and is rich in mitochondria to supply its high energy needs

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23
Q

Describe the structure of the cells and branches

A

The ends of the cells and the branches are in very close contact with the ends and branches of adjacent cells

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24
Q

Why is the arrangement of the heart beneficial?

A

It gives cardiac muscle the functionality of a sheet of muscles rather than a number of individual cells

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25
Why do the fibres not require a separate nerve supply?
Because of the end-to-end continuity of the fibres
26
What happens when an impulse is initiated?
It spreads from cells to cell via the branches and intercalated discs over the whole 'sheet' of muscle
27
What does the sheet arrangement of the myocardium enable?
Enables the whole heart to contract in a coordinated and efficient manner
28
Where does the endocardium membrane line?
This thin membrane lines the chambers and valves of the heart
29
What does the endocardium consist of?
Consists of a single layer of flattened epithelial cells and is continuous with the endothelium lining the blood vessels
30
What is the structure of the endocardium?
It is very smooth to minimise friction as the blood flows over it
31
What are cardiac myocytes?
Straited muscle cells
32
Does the heart require nervous input to contract?
NO!
33
How does the heart contract?
Spontaneous depolarisation and they are electrically coupled
34
How does depolarisation spread?
It readily spreads via intercalated discs
35
What does depolarisation of myocytes allow to happen?
It allows Ca2+ ions to enter and causes contraction
36
How does the heart depolarise in a co-ordinated fashion?
Rapid spread of depolarisation via the conduction system
37
What is cardiac cycle
The rhythmic cycle of contraction and relaxation of the heart
38
What does systole mean?
Ventricular contraction
39
What does diastole mean?
Ventricular relaxation
40
What is the sinoatrial (SA) node cells responsible for?
Set the rate of contraction (pacemaker) and depolarise fastest
41
What is the first step to depolarisation spreading?
Depolarisation spreads through the atria from the SA node to the atrioventricular node (AV node)
42
What is the second step to depolarisation spreading?
The AV node allows electrical signals to travel from the atria down the bundle of his which is responsible for transmitting impulses to the right and left bundle branches
43
What is the final step of depolarisation spreading?
The Purkinje fibres carry the electrical activity throughout ventricular myocardium (muscle of the heart)
44
What do the cells in SA node and AV node have?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation
45
What does the parasympathetic activity do to the heart rate?
Decrease heart rate through release of acetylcholine
46
What does the sympathetic activity do to the heart rate?
Increase heart rate (force of contraction) through the release of noradrenaline
47
What do the cells in the ventricular myocardium contain?
They only contain sympathetic innervation
48
What are the blood vessels responsible for?
- Deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells - Carry away waste products - Part of maintaining blood pressure
49
What do veins do?
Carry deoxygenated blood towards the heart
50
What do arteries do?
Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart
51
What do capillaries do?
Act as transfer station between veins and arteries
52
What are arterioles?
Mini-arteries that branch out into the capillaries
53
What are venules?
The smallest vein components that suck blood out of the capillaries
54
Describe the first layer of blood vessels and its function.
Tunica intima contains endothelium which is made of simple squamous epithelium tissue. It is continuous with the lining of the heart and forms smooth surface that helps the blood move without friction
55
Describe the second layer of blood vessels and its function.
Tunica media which is made of smooth muscle cells and sheets of the protein elastin. It has an external elastic membrane which can decrease the diameter of the lumen by contracting the middle layer during vasoconstriction or expand by relaxing it during vasodilation Tunica media plays a key role in blood flow and blood pressure
56
Describe the third layer of blood vessels
The outermost layer of the vessel is the tunica externa which is like an overcoat made of loosely woven collagen fibre
57
Describe the structure of capillaries.
Made of single layer of epithelial tissue and is surrounded by basement membrane
58
What is the role of the capillaries?
Allows gases and nutrients to diffuse Water to move through depending on hydrostatic and osmotic pressure
59
How are veins adapted to the low pressure of the blood?
They have venous valves to prevent back flow of blood
60
What is cardiac output?
The volume of blood pumped out of the heart per minute (rate of blood flow)
61
What is the equation of cardiac output?
- Cardiac output = the volume of blood pumped out of the ventricle on each contraction x the number of beats per minute - Cardiac output = Stroke volume x heart rate - CO = SV X HR
62
What factors affect cardiac output?
If the heart contracts with less strength this will reduce SV and hence reduce CO If the blood volume is low and the heart fills less, this will reduce SV and hence reduce CO If HR drops this will cause a fall in CO
63
What is a normal heart rate?
60-100 beats per minute (adults)
64
What would an uneven heart rhythm suggest?
Cardiac arrhythmia
65
What is an average blood pressure?
Systolic/diastolic - 120/80 mmHg
66
What are the factors that determine arterial BP?
- Amount of blood being pumped - The resistance to the flow
67
What is the equation for arterial blood pressure?
Mean arterial blood pressure = cardiac output x total peripheral resistance BP = CO X TPR
68
What is total peripheral resistance?
The resistance of arterioles which are the smallest arteries and create the most resistance.
69
What controls BP?
Short term control by baroreceptor reflex Long term control by hormonal control Control blood volume by kidneys
70
how does baroreceptor work
look at diagram on page 51
71
What is the term used for high BP?
Hypertension
72
What is the term used for low BP?
Hypotension

Anatomy & Physiology (11 decks)

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