ECG & Pulse

What is the primary purpose of the heart

To pump blood throughout the body

Cardiac cycle

The rhythmical sequence of both electrical and mechanical events used to pump blood

What activity initiates the mechanical activity of the heart

Electric activity

Where does contraction of the ventricles push blood to

The aorta and furthermore the arteries

What do the muscular walls of the aorta and arteries do

Allow the walls to expand slightly to receive blood

What does the elastic recoil of the arteries aid with

Helps the to push the blood though the rest of the system

The __ the wall, the faster the transmission of the _, but the more work is required by the heart to move the same blood volume

Stiffer, pressure wave

Pulse

The transmission of the pressure wave towards the periphery

Changes in the blood volume of organs my be due to what system

The automimic nervous system

What factors may influence the autonomic nervous system

Environmental factors such as temperature or the metabolic activity of an organ,

What happens to blood flow when heat needs to be conserved

It slows down

Which part of the body has the fastest blood flow

Aorta

Is the blood flow as fast as the pressure wave

No

What factors effect the traveling speed of the pressure wave form heart to periphery

Heart’s ability to contract strongly, blood pressure, the relative elasticity of the arteries, and the diameter of systemic arteries and arterioles

Plethysmography

The study of blood volume changes

Why is blood highly reflective of near-infrared light

The hemes of hemoglobin

What equipment is specific to this lab

Pulse transducer