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Cardiovascular System: The Heart - Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (23)

  • What is the function of the cardiovascular system?
    The cardiovascular system delivers blood per unit time per gram of tissue, a process called perfusion, which is essential for supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues.
  • What generalization can be made about all arteries?
    All arteries carry blood away from the heart, usually oxygenated except for pulmonary arteries.
  • What generalization can be made about all veins?
    All veins carry blood toward the heart, usually deoxygenated except for pulmonary veins.
  • Describe the path of blood flow through the heart starting at the right atrium.
    Blood flows: right atrium → tricuspid valve → right ventricle → pulmonary semilunar valve → pulmonary trunk → lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium → bicuspid valve → left ventricle → aortic semilunar valve → aorta → systemic circulation.
  • What is the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation?
    Pulmonary circulation moves blood between the heart and lungs for oxygenation; systemic circulation moves oxygenated blood from the heart to the body tissues.
  • What are the three layers of the heart wall?
    The heart wall consists of the epicardium (outer layer), myocardium (muscle layer), and endocardium (inner lining).
  • What is the function of the pericardium?
    The pericardium encloses the heart, providing protection and reducing friction via serous fluid in the pericardial cavity.
  • What structures make up the pericardium?
    The pericardium includes the fibrous pericardium, parietal layer of serous pericardium, and visceral layer of serous pericardium (epicardium).
  • What is the role of chordae tendineae and papillary muscles?
    Chordae tendineae anchor atrioventricular valves to papillary muscles, preventing valve prolapse during ventricular contraction.
  • Compare atrioventricular and semilunar valves.
    Atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and bicuspid) prevent backflow into atria; semilunar valves (pulmonary and aortic) prevent backflow into ventricles.
  • What is the fibrous skeleton of the heart?
    A dense connective tissue structure that supports valves and electrically isolates atria from ventricles.
  • Describe the structure of cardiac muscle.
    Cardiac muscle cells are striated, branched, connected by intercalated discs containing desmosomes and gap junctions for mechanical and electrical coupling.
  • How does cardiac muscle meet its energy needs?
    Cardiac muscle has abundant mitochondria and myoglobin to support aerobic respiration for continuous energy supply.
  • Name the major coronary arteries and their function.
    The left and right coronary arteries supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle; their branches cover different heart regions.
  • What is the coronary sinus?
    A large vein that collects deoxygenated blood from coronary veins and drains into the right atrium.
  • What is the heart's conduction system path?
    SA node → AV node → AV bundle (bundle of His) → bundle branches → Purkinje fibers, coordinating heartbeats.
  • What is autorhythmicity in cardiac nodal cells?
    The ability of pacemaker cells to spontaneously depolarize due to unique ion channels, initiating heartbeats without external stimuli.
  • What are the phases of the cardiac action potential in muscle cells?
    Depolarization, plateau, and repolarization phases regulate contraction and relaxation of cardiac muscle.
  • What is the significance of the cardiac muscle refractory period?
    The extended refractory period prevents tetanus, allowing the heart to relax between beats.
  • What are the main components of an ECG?
    P wave (atrial depolarization), QRS complex (ventricular depolarization), and T wave (ventricular repolarization).
  • What are the five phases of the cardiac cycle?
    (1) Atrial contraction and ventricular filling, (2) isovolumetric contraction, (3) ventricular ejection, (4) isovolumetric relaxation, (5) atrial relaxation and ventricular filling.
  • Define cardiac output and its influencing variables.
    Cardiac output is the volume of blood pumped per minute, influenced by heart rate and stroke volume.
  • What happens if the foramen ovale does not close after birth?
    Blood may bypass the lungs by flowing between atria, causing mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.