Heart II - Fundamentals in Anatomy & Physiology I

Vocabulary flashcards based on the concepts discussed in the Heart II lecture.

Cardiac Cycle

The sequence of events in the heart during one complete contraction and relaxation.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle where the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood.

Diastole

The phase of the cardiac cycle where the heart muscle relaxes and fills with blood.

Cardiac Output

The volume of blood pumped each minute by each ventricle.

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood ejected by each ventricle in one cardiac cycle.

End Diastolic Volume (EDV)

The volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole, also referred to as preload.

Total Peripheral Resistance

The frictional resistance or opposition to flow that blood encounters in the blood vessels.

Frank-Starling Law of the Heart

The principle that increase in EDV results in increased contractility and thus increased stroke volume.

Chronotropic Effect

An effect that influences the heart rate, either increasing or decreasing it.

Inotropic Effect

An effect that influences the strength of the heart's contractions.

Isovolumetric Contraction

The phase of the cardiac cycle when ventricles contract but no blood is ejected as all valves are closed.

Atrioventricular (AV) Valves

Valves located between the atria and ventricles that prevent backflow during ventricular contraction.

Semilunar Valves

Valves located at the exits of the ventricles that prevent backflow into the ventricles after contraction.

Heart Rate

The number of heartbeats or cardiac cycles per minute.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A part of the autonomic nervous system that slows the heart rate and promotes rest.

Sympathetic Nervous System

A part of the autonomic nervous system that increases heart rate and prepares the body for action.

Pacemaker Potential

The gradual depolarization in pacemaker cells that leads to action potentials in the heart.

Epinephrine

A hormone that increases heart rate and contractility, released by the adrenal glands.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter that increases heart rate and contractility, released by sympathetic nerves.