A&P Exam #2 Study Flash Cards

What are the two primary circulatory circuits of the body?

The pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit.

What function does the pulmonary circuit serve?

It carries oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs and brings oxygen-rich blood back to the heart.

What is the role of the systemic circuit?

It delivers oxygenated blood to body tissues excluding the lungs and returns deoxygenated blood to the heart.

Describe the pathway of blood flow in the pulmonary circuit.

Right ventricle → pulmonary trunk → pulmonary arteries → lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium.

Outline the blood flow pathway in the systemic circuit.

Left ventricle → aorta → systemic arteries → body tissues → systemic veins → venae cavae → right atrium.

What is one major function of the pulmonary circuit?

Facilitating gas exchange.

What is another key function of the pulmonary circuit?

Elimination of carbon dioxide.

What is an additional primary function of the pulmonary circuit?

Oxygenation of blood.

What is a primary function of the systemic circuit?

Delivering oxygen to body tissues.

What is another key function of the systemic circuit?

Transporting nutrients to body tissues.

What is a further major function of the systemic circuit?

Removal of metabolic wastes.

In anatomical visuals, what does the color red typically represent?

Oxygen-rich blood.

In anatomical visuals, what does blue usually signify?

Oxygen-poor blood.

Which vessels typically carry oxygen-rich blood?

The systemic arteries and pulmonary veins.

Which vessels usually conduct oxygen-poor blood?

The systemic veins and pulmonary arteries.

Do arteries exclusively transport oxygenated blood?

No. Arteries transport blood away from the heart, irrespective of its oxygen content.

Do veins exclusively transport deoxygenated blood?

No. Veins bring blood toward the heart, regardless of its oxygen content.

Is the pulmonary artery oxygen-rich or oxygen-poor?

It is oxygen-poor.

Is the pulmonary vein oxygen-rich or oxygen-poor?

It is oxygen-rich.

What is the basic principle regarding arteries?

Arteries transport blood away from the heart.

What is the basic principle regarding veins?

Veins transport blood toward the heart.

Which side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs?

The right side.

Which side of the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body?

The left side.

What is the pathway for blood flow on the right side of the heart?

Right atrium → right ventricle → pulmonary circuit.

What is the pathway for blood flow on the left side of the heart?

Left atrium → left ventricle → systemic circulation.

Does blood within the heart chambers provide nourishment to the myocardium?

No. The myocardium receives nourishment via coronary circulation.

What supplies blood to the myocardium?

Coronary circulation.

What does the superior vena cava carry back?

Oxygen-poor blood from the upper body.

Which regions drain into the superior vena cava?

Head, neck, upper limbs, and thorax.

Into which chamber does the superior vena cava discharge blood?

Right atrium.

What does the inferior vena cava bring back?

Oxygen-poor blood from the lower body.

From which regions does the inferior vena cava collect blood?

Abdomen, pelvis, and lower limbs.

Into which chamber does the inferior vena cava discharge blood?

Right atrium.

Define the pulmonary trunk.

The main artery of the pulmonary circuit.

From which chamber does the pulmonary trunk originate?

Right ventricle.

What does the pulmonary trunk carry?

Oxygen-poor blood towards the lungs.

Into what does the pulmonary trunk bifurcate?

Right pulmonary artery and left pulmonary artery.

What do the pulmonary arteries transport?

Oxygen-poor blood to the lungs.

What do pulmonary veins transport?

Oxygen-rich blood from the lungs.

Into which chamber do pulmonary veins discharge blood?

Left atrium.

How many pulmonary veins are present?

Four.

How many pulmonary veins does each lung produce?

Two.

What is the largest artery in the human body?

The aorta.

From which chamber does the aorta arise?

Left ventricle.

What is the aorta responsible for supplying?

Oxygen-rich blood to systemic circulation.

Where do the coronary arteries originate from?

Base of the aorta.

What is the role of coronary arteries?

To deliver oxygenated blood to the myocardium.

Identify two branches of the left coronary artery.

Circumflex artery and anterior interventricular artery.

What does the circumflex artery supply?

Left atrium and lateral wall of the left ventricle.

What is an alternative name for the anterior interventricular artery?

Left anterior descending artery (LAD).

What does the LAD supply?

Anterior ventricles and interventricular septum.

Why is the LAD of clinical significance?

Blockage is often referred to as the widow maker.

What are the branches of the right coronary artery?

Posterior interventricular artery and right marginal artery.

What does the posterior interventricular artery supply?

Posterior walls of the ventricles.

What does the right marginal artery supply?

Lateral area of the right ventricle.

What is the function of cardiac veins?

To remove deoxygenated blood from the myocardium.

List three major cardiac veins.

Great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, and small cardiac vein.

What is the function of the coronary sinus?

To collect blood from cardiac veins.

Where does the coronary sinus discharge its contents?

Right atrium.

Define the cardiac cycle.

The sequence of mechanical events that occur during a heartbeat.

What are the two general types of chamber activity that alternate in the cardiac cycle?

Contraction and relaxation.

What occurs during atrial contraction?

Atria contract while ventricles relax, allowing blood to flow from atria to ventricles.

What happens during ventricular contraction?

Ventricles contract, atria relax, and blood is pumped into arteries.

What causes the heart valves to open and close?

Pressure changes within the heart chambers.

What dictates the flow of blood through the heart?

Pressure gradients.

Does blood flow move from lower pressure areas to higher pressure areas?

No, it flows from areas of higher pressure to lower pressure.

Are heart valves active or passive structures?

They are passive.

What determines if a valve opens or closes?

Pressure differences on either side of the valve.

What are the two main categories of heart valves?

Atrioventricular valves and semilunar valves.

Where are atrioventricular valves located?

Between the atria and ventricles.

Name the two atrioventricular valves.

Tricuspid valve and mitral valve.

What function do atrioventricular valves serve?

They prevent backflow into the atria during ventricular contraction.

Where are semilunar valves located?

Between the ventricles and large arteries.

Name the two semilunar valves.

Pulmonary valve and aortic valve.

What function do semilunar valves serve?

They prevent backflow into the ventricles.

When do AV valves open?

When atrial pressure exceeds ventricular pressure.

When do AV valves close?

When ventricular pressure exceeds atrial pressure.

When do semilunar valves open?

When ventricular pressure exceeds arterial pressure.

When do semilunar valves close?

When arterial pressure surpasses ventricular pressure.

What occurs when atrial pressure exceeds ventricular pressure?

Blood flows from the atria to the ventricles, and the AV valves remain open.

What occurs when ventricular pressure is higher than atrial pressure?

The AV valves close, preventing backflow into the atria.

What happens when ventricular pressure exceeds the pressure in the aorta or pulmonary trunk?

Semilunar valves open.

What happens when arterial pressure exceeds ventricular pressure?

Semilunar valves close.

What generates heart sounds?

Vibrations caused by the closure of valves and the movement of blood.

What causes the first heart sound (S1)?

Closure of the atrioventricular valves.

What is the sound associated with S1?

“Lubb.”

During which phase does S1 occur?

Ventricular systole.

Which valves close to generate S1?

Tricuspid and mitral valves.

What causes the second heart sound (S2)?

Closure of the semilunar valves.

What is the sound associated with S2?

“Dupp.”

During which phase does S2 occur?

At the beginning of ventricular diastole.

Which valves close to produce S2?

Aortic and pulmonary valves.

What is a heart murmur?

A sound resulting from turbulent blood flow.

What commonly contributes to a murmur?

Backward leakage of blood through a valve that fails to close completely.

Provide three potential causes of a murmur.

Valve damage, incomplete closure of the valve, and congenital defects.

What is the role of the cardiac conduction system?

It coordinates the timing of contractions of the heart.

What type of cells compose the conduction system?

Specialized cardiac muscle cells that generate electrical impulses.

Define the SA node.

The sinoatrial node, which acts as the heart's pacemaker.

Where is the SA node situated?

In the right atrium near the entrance of the superior vena cava.

What is the primary function of the SA node?

It initiates electrical impulses.