Med25 Cardiovascular System Unit Week 1 Formative Quiz

Practice vocabulary flashcards covering cardiovascular anatomy, mediastinal subdivisions, and diagnostic heart sounds based on the Med25 Week 1 quiz.

Fibrous pericardium

A tough outer layer that anchors the heart in the mediastinum and prevents overfilling.

Serous pericardium

The layer of the heart covering that produces pericardial fluid to reduce friction.

Mitral (bicuspid) valve

The valve located between the left atrium and left ventricle, supported by papillary muscles and chordae tendineae.

Superior mediastinum

A subdivision of the mediastinum containing the thymus and great vessels, specifically the aortic arch and $SVC$.

Anterior mediastinum

A subdivision of the mediastinum containing fat, lymph nodes, and remnants of the thymus.

Middle mediastinum

A subdivision of the mediastinum containing the heart, pericardium, and the roots of the great vessels.

Posterior mediastinum

A subdivision of the mediastinum containing the oesophagus, thoracic aorta, and azygos veins.

$S2$ heart sound

A heart sound associated with the closure of the semilunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves at the start of ventricular diastole.

$S1$ heart sound

A heart sound associated with the closure of the Atrioventricular (AV) valves.

Right coronary artery (RCA)

The coronary artery that most commonly supplies the AV node, occurring in approximately $80\%$ of hearts.

Left ventricular wall

The thicker portion of the myocardium that pumps blood into the systemic circulation against high pressure.

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve

The nerve that loops under the aortic arch near the ligamentum arteriosum; its damage from enlargement of the arch can cause hoarseness or vocal cord palsy.

Vasovagal syncope

A neurally mediated reflex triggered by pain or stress involving bradycardia (increased vagal activity) and peripheral vasodilation (withdrawal of sympathetic tone).

Coronary sinus

The structure that opens into the right atrium and receives drainage from the great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, and small cardiac vein.

Apex beat

The point of the heart palpated in the left $5^{th}$ intercostal space at the mid-clavicular line.