Cardiovascular System Overview

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the cardiovascular system, including the structure of the heart, blood flow, cardiac potential, and EKG interpretations.

Heart

Roughly the size of a closed fist, located on the diaphragm near the midline of the thorax within the mediastinum.

Mediastinum

The central compartment of the thoracic cavity where the heart, trachea, and esophagus are located, it lies between the sternum and thoracic vertebrae.

Pericardium

A double-walled sac that surrounds and protects the heart, consisting of fibrous and serous layers.

Fibrous Pericardium

The outer layer of the pericardium made of tough, inelastic tissue.

Serous Pericardium

A thinner, more delicate membrane that consists of parietal and visceral layers with a pericardial cavity in between.

Epicardium

The outermost layer of the heart wall, also known as the visceral layer of the serous pericardium.

Myocardium

The middle layer of the heart wall, consisting of cardiac muscle tissue responsible for heart contractions.

Endocardium

The innermost layer of the heart wall, made up of endothelial tissue lining the heart chambers.

Atria

The two superior chambers of the heart that receive blood; right atrium receives deoxygenated blood, left atrium receives oxygenated blood.

Ventricles

The two inferior chambers of the heart; right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs, left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body.

Chordae Tendinae

Tendons that connect the cusps of heart valves to the papillary muscles, preventing valve prolapse.

Deoxygenated Blood Flow

Flow from the body to the right side of the heart, passing through the superior & inferior vena cava into the right atrium.

Oxygenated Blood Flow

Flow from the lungs to the left side of the heart, passing through pulmonary veins into the left atrium.

Cardiac Action Potential

The electrical impulses that trigger heart contractions, initiated by the SA node.

EKG

A recording of the electrical activity of the heart, useful for detecting heart pathologies.

P wave

Represents atrial depolarization on an EKG.

QRS complex

Represents ventricular depolarization on an EKG.

T wave

Represents ventricular repolarization on an EKG.