Heart Anatomy & Physiology Lab Review

A set of 21 question-and-answer flashcards covering heart location, chambers, valves, internal anatomy, coronary circulation, conduction system, ECG interpretation, and basic cardiac physiology.

In which cavity does the heart sit, and what double-layered membrane encloses it?

It sits in the pericardial cavity and is enclosed by the pericardium.

Name the four chambers of the human heart.

Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle.

Which two valves are classified as atrioventricular (AV) valves?

The tricuspid valve (right AV) and the bicuspid/mitral valve (left AV).

Which two valves are classified as semilunar valves?

The pulmonary semilunar valve and the aortic semilunar valve.

List the great vessels directly attached to the heart.

Aorta, pulmonary trunk, superior vena cava, and inferior vena cava.

What slender, tendon-like cords anchor AV valve cusps to papillary muscles?

Chordae tendineae.

Where is the fossa ovalis located, and what is its embryonic origin?

On the interatrial septum of the right atrium; it is the remnant of the fetal foramen ovale.

Which muscular ridges line the internal walls of the ventricles?

Trabeculae carneae.

What are the names of the two main coronary arteries that arise from the ascending aorta?

The right coronary artery (RCA) and the left coronary artery (LCA).

Which coronary artery runs in the anterior interventricular sulcus and is also called the LAD?

The anterior interventricular artery (left anterior descending artery).

Which vein runs with the LAD and empties into the coronary sinus?

The great cardiac vein.

Into which venous structure do most cardiac veins drain before entering the right atrium?

The coronary sinus.

Place the components of the cardiac conduction system in order of impulse travel, starting with the pacemaker.

Sinoatrial (SA) node → Atrioventricular (AV) node → AV bundle (bundle of His) → Right and left bundle branches → Purkinje fibers.

Which wave on an ECG represents atrial depolarization?

The P wave.

Which ECG complex represents ventricular depolarization?

The QRS complex.

Which ECG wave reflects ventricular repolarization?

The T wave.

Define systole in the context of the cardiac cycle.

Systole is the period of cardiac muscle contraction when chambers eject blood.

Define diastole in the context of the cardiac cycle.

Diastole is the period of cardiac muscle relaxation when chambers fill with blood.

What heart rate qualifies as tachycardia in adults?

A resting heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute.

What heart rate qualifies as bradycardia in adults?

A resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute.

What small ligament connects the aortic arch to the pulmonary trunk, and what fetal structure does it replace?

The ligamentum arteriosum, the remnant of the fetal ductus arteriosus.