Heart and Circulatory System

Flashcards covering key concepts about the heart, blood vessels, and their functions.

What is the innermost layer of the heart?

The endocardium.

What is the Tunica adventitia and what is its role?

Protective outer layer of fibrous tissue provides blood vessel with strength needed to withstand high pressure

What is the Tunica media?

Middle layer of fibers and smooth muscle

Gives the strength and contractility much thicker layer, more powerful in arteries than being

What is the autonomic nervous system and what does it control?

Involuntary activities, such as heartbeat, respirations dilation, constriction of blood vessels and digestion

What is the myocardium?

Muscular middle layer of the heart found between epicardium and endocardium this has specialized cardiac fibers that can spontaneously contract.

what is the sympathetic nervous system?

This is fight or flight

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

Rest and digest

Send messages through the Vegus nerve slows down heart rate and respiratory rate dilates vessels in the G.I. tract

Where does the right coronary artery supply blood to?

Right atrium and right ventricle

Where does the left coronary artery supply blood to?

Left atrium and left ventricle divides into two major branches circumflex branch and left anterior descending branch

what is a peripheral pulse?

Pulse felt in extremities

What is BECKS TRIAD

Specific symptoms for cardiac tamponade

JVD

Narrowing blood pressure

Muffled heart sounds

What is the SNS of intracranial pressure?

JVD

Widening pulse pressure

Tracheal deviation

Brady cardio

All known as Cushing’s

Where does heart related chest pain usually stem from?

Ischemia, which is decreased blood flow to the heart or inefficient supply of oxygen and nutrients

What is a thromboembolism?

Blood clot floating through the vessels

S & S of AMI

Weakness N/V

Sweating without cause

Squeezing that doesn’t change with each breath

Lower jaw, pain back and abdomen

Irregular heartbeat, syncope

SOB dyspnea, pink frothy sputum

Sudden death

What is ventricular tachycardia?

Rapid heart rate 150 to 200 bpm

What is ventricular fibrillation?

Disorganized and effective quivering ventricles

No blood is pumped forward through body Patient usually unconscious in seconds, no pulse felt.

What is atrial fibrillation?

Atria quivers, irregular ventricular rate puts patient at risk for blood clots

What two heart rhythms are not shockable

Asystole

PEA pulseless electrical activity

What is a dissecting aortic aneurysm?

Inner layers of aorta becomes separated

What surrounds and protects the heart?

The pericardium.

What is angina pectoris

Myocardial oxygen demand exceeds

Hearts need for oxygen exceed available supply

Cardiogenic shock after an AMI is caused by what?

Decreased pumping force of the heart muscle muscles

what is arthrosclerosis?

Calcium and cholesterol buildup and fatty deposits narrowing the coronary arteries

The iliac arteries immediately subdivide into what

Femoral arteries

Right coronary artery supplies, blood to what ?

Right ventricle and inferior wall of the left vent

What blood vessel carries or transports oxygenated blood

Pulmonary veins, they carry blood from the lungs into the heart

What sign is commonly observed in patient with right sided heart failure?

Dependent edema

Where does the left coronary artery supply blood to?

Left atrium and left ventricle

SNS of cardiogenic shock

Anxiety restlessness

Pale, cool clammy skin

High pulse rate rapid shallow breathing

What is aortic aneurysm?

Weakness in the wall of the aorta susceptible to rupture

What is a dissecting a aneurysm?

Inner layers of the aorta becomes separated, usually caused by uncontrolled hypertension

What are the SNS of dissecting aortic aneurysm

Sudden chest pain in anterior part of Chester back

Difference in BP between arms diminished pulse and lower extremities

What is the name of the condition that can arise from issues with the pericardium?

Cardiac tamponade.

What are the two chambers on the right side of the heart?

Right atrium and right ventricle.

What valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle?

The tricuspid valve.

What is the primary pacemaker of the heart?

The SA node.

What type of blood vessels have three layers: tunica adventitia, tunica media, and lumen?

Arteries and veins.

What is the primary role of the arteries?

To carry oxygenated blood, except pulmonary arteries.

What blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood?

Veins, except for pulmonary veins.

What is angina?

Chest pain due to lack of oxygen reaching the heart.

What can atherosclerosis lead to?

Heart attacks due to narrowed blood vessels.

What is the main difference between angina and AMI (acute myocardial infarction)?

Angina is temporary chest pain, while AMI involves permanent tissue death.

What does the term bradycardia refer to?

A slow heart rate.

What does the term tachycardia refer to?

A fast heart rate.

What is hypo- and hyper- in medical terminology?

Hypo- means low; hyper- means high.

What do you check for when assessing a patient's perfusion?

Pulses and blood pressure.

What indicates a patient may have ischemia?

Lack of oxygen to a part of the body.

What happens during sympathetic nervous system activation?

Increased heart rate and respiratory rate.

What is the average normal blood pressure?

120 over 80.

What blood pressure is considered hypotensive?

Anything under 100 systolic.

What symptoms indicate a silent myocardial infarction (MI)?

No symptoms at all.

What is the coronary artery disease (CAD)?

A condition of having issues with one or both coronary arteries.

What device is used to measure electrical activity of the heart?

An EKG (electrocardiogram).