Blood and Cardiovascular System Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary and key concepts from lecture notes on the blood and cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular System Components

Blood (connective tissue), Heart (pump), Blood Vessels (circulate blood)

Blood Vessels Types

Elastic Arteries, Muscular Arteries, Arterioles, Capillaries, Venules, Veins

Artery Function

Carries blood from the heart to the tissues.

Vein Function

Carries blood to the heart from tissues.

Blood Distribution Functions

Delivers O2, transports CO2, nutrients, hormones, removes wastes.

Blood Regulation Functions

Maintains tissue pH, blood volume, body temperature

Blood Protection Functions

Prevents infection and blood loss.

Composition of Whole Blood

Plasma (55% - water and solutes) and Formed Elements (45% - cells and fragments)

Formed Elements of Blood

Erythrocytes (RBCs), Leukocytes (WBCs), Platelets

Hematocrit

Percentage of blood volume composed of packed red blood cells.

Normal Blood Volume (Adult Male)

5-6 liters

Normal Blood Volume (Adult Female)

4-5 liters

Normal Blood pH

Ranges between 7.35-7.45

Plasma Composition

91.5% water, 8.5% solutes

Albumin

Most abundant plasma protein (60%), maintains osmotic pressure and transports substances.

Globulin

36% of plasma proteins, including alpha, beta (transport proteins), and gamma (antibodies)

Alpha and Beta Globulins

Transport proteins for metal ions, cholesterol, and complement proteins.

Gamma Globulins

Antibodies produced by plasma cells.

Clotting Proteins

Fibrinogen, prothrombin, etc.; function in coagulation.

Erythrocyte Function

Carry O2 and CO2.

Erythrocyte (RBC) Normal Values (Adult Male)

4.7 – 6.1 X 106/µl blood

Erythrocyte (RBC) Normal Values (Adult Female)

4.2 – 5.4 X 106/µl blood

Erythrocyte Structure

Biconcave discs, anucleate, no organelles.

Hemoglobin

Carries O2 and CO2; maintains RBC shape.

Spectrin

Important protein in RBCs that maintains the biconcave shape

Hemoglobin Function

Carries O2, CO2, NO; buffers H+.

Carbaminohemoglobin

Hemoglobin bound to carbon dioxide.

Oxyhemoglobin

Hemoglobin bound to oxygen.

Normal Hemoglobin Values (Adult Male)

13-18 g/100 ml blood

Normal Hemoglobin Values (Adult Female)

12-16 g/100 ml blood

Hemoglobin Variants

HbA1 (96%), HbA2 (<2%), HbF (<2% in adults, dominant in fetus)

Hemoglobin A1c

Glycated hemoglobin; elevated levels associated with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.

Erythropoiesis

Blood cell formation.

Nutritional Requirements for Erythropoiesis

Iron, Vitamin B12, Folic acid, Vitamin C, Nicotinic Acid, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Thiamine, Amino Acids

Vitamin B12

Needed for DNA synthesis, absorption requires intrinsic factor.

Polycythemia

Excess number of RBCs (> 7X106/mm³).

Anemia

Abnormally low O2 carrying capacity.

Microcytic

Small red blood cells

Macrocytic

Large red blood cells

Hypochromic

Pale red blood cells

Anemias Caused by Reduced Erythrocyte Number

Hemorrhagic, Hemolytic, Aplastic

Anemias Caused by Reduced Hemoglobin or Abnormal Hemoglobin

Iron deficiency, Pernicious, Sickle cell, Thalassemia

Leukocytes Normal Values

4800 – 10,800 leukocytes /mm3 blood

Granulocytes

Neutrophil, Eosinophil, Basophil

Neutrophil Function

Quick acting phagocytes (1st responders)

Eosinophil Function

Anti-parasitic, phagocytize immune complexes, anti-allergy

Basophil Function

Granules contain histamine (inflammation) and heparin (anticoagulant)

Agranulocytes

Lymphocyte, Monocyte

T Lymphocyte function

Fight antigens directly

B Lymphocytes

Divide to produce plasma cells that secrete antibodies.

Monocytes

Develop into macrophages; phagocytes that are slow but strong

Leukopoiesis

Production of leukocytes.

Leukopenia

circulating WBC count <4000/mm3 blood in adults; increases susceptibility to infection

Leukocytosis

circulating WBC count is >11,000/mm3 blood

Acute Leukemia

Disease progresses rapidly

Chronic Leukemia

Disease progresses slowly

Myelocytic Leukemia

Involves cells in the myeloid pathway

Lymphocytic Leukemia

Involves cells in the lymphocytic pathway

Infectious Mononucleosis

B lymphocytes are infected and proliferate in an uncontrolled manner; caused by Epstein Barr Virus.

Platelet Normal Values

150,000-400,000/mm³ blood

Hemostasis

Stoppage of bleeding.

Hemostasis Mechanisms

Vascular Spasm, Platelet Plug, Coagulation

Coagulation

Blood is transformed into a semisolid mass.

Von Willebrand Factor

a blood glycoprotein involved in hemostasis

Intrinsic Pathway

Slower pathway (3-6 minutes). All necessary factors are in the blood.

Extrinsic Pathway

Shorter pathway (about 15 seconds). injured cells external to the blood release tissue factor (TF) which shortens the process

Thrombus

A clot that develops and persists in an unbroken vessel or chamber of the heart.

Embolus

An intravascular clot that is floating free in the plasma.

Thrombocytopenia

A platelet count of <50,000 /mm3 blood which may cause spontaneous bleeding

Hemophilia

Deficient coagulation factor VIII (hemophilia A), IX (hemophilia B), factor (XI) or others

Prothrombin Time (PT)

Measures the overall efficiency of the extrinsic clotting system and the common pathway

Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

Measures the overall efficiency of the intrinsic pathway and the common pathway

Agglutinogen

A glyoprotein found on the surfaces of RBCs - agglutinogens elicit immunologic responses

Agglutinin

A glyoprotein antibody produced by plasma cells and found in body fluids

Agglutination

A clumping reaction that occurs when agglutinogens are linked to agglutinins

ABO Blood Group System

Blood types A, B, AB, O based on presence or absence of A and B agglutinogens.

Rh System

Includes several agglutinogens, with D being the most immunogenic.

Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN)

Disorder arising when a mother lacks an agglutinogen that is present on the RBCs of her fetus.