Human Heart, Pulse Rate, and Stethoscope

Question and answer flashcards covering heart anatomy, chambers, valves, pulse rate measurement, normal heartbeat, ECG, and the stethoscope.

What are the upper two chambers of the human heart called?

Auricles

What kind of blood does the right auricle receive, and where does it come from?

It receives deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body.

What kind of blood does the left auricle receive, and where does it come from?

It receives oxygenated blood from the lungs.

Which valve controls the opening of the right auricle into the right ventricle?

The tricuspid valve

What are the lower two chambers of the human heart called?

Ventricles

What is the function of the right ventricle?

It receives deoxygenated blood from the right auricle and sends it to the lungs for purification.

Which chamber is the largest chamber of the human heart?

The left ventricle

What is the function of the left ventricle?

It receives oxygenated blood from the left auricle and contracts to pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

Which valve controls the opening of the left auricle into the left ventricle?

The bicuspid valve

Where are the semilunar valves located in the heart?

At the base of the pulmonary aorta and dorsal aorta.

What happens to the semilunar valves when the auricles contract?

The valves open.

What is the normal heartbeat of a person per minute?

About $72$ times per minute.

What diagnostic tool tells any abnormalities in heartbeat?

ECG or Electrocardiography

What is pulse?

The rate at which the heart beats, felt in blood vessels close to the surface of the skin when the heart pumps blood.

In what unit is pulse rate expressed?

Beats per minute (bpm)

Which fingers should be placed at the base of the thumb to measure pulse rate?

Pointer finger and middle finger

Why should you not use your thumb to feel someone else's pulse?

Because the thumb has its own pulse that you may feel.

How do you calculate the number of beats per minute when taking a pulse?

Count the beats for $30\,\text{seconds}$, and then double the result.

Who invented the stethoscope and during what period did he live?

French physician Rene Laennec ($1781\text{--}1826$)

What is a stethoscope and what is its function?

An instrument that amplifies the sound of the heart, used by doctors to listen to the heartbeat and assess the heart's condition.

What are the main components that make up a stethoscope?

Two earpieces joined through a tube to a chest piece, which carries the sensitive diaphragm.