Cardiovascular System Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering cardiovascular anatomical structures, physiological processes, and related medical terminology based on the lecture transcript.

myocardial

pertaining to the heart (cardia) muscle (myo)

oxygenated blood

blood having oxygen (oxygen-rich blood)

papillary muscles

muscles in the ventricle that anchor the chordae tendineae and atrioventricular valves

parasympathetic

the branch of the autonomic nervous system that helps to slow the heart rate

pericardium

A two-layered sac of tissue enclosing the heart

polarization

the state of cellular rest in which the inside is negatively charged, and the outside is positively charged

pulmonary artery

large artery that transports deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. This is the only artery in the body that carries deoxygenated blood.

pulmonary circulation

The transportation of blood to and from the lungs; blood is oxygenated in the lungs during pulmonary circulation.

pulmonary semilunar valve

A valve found in the pulmonary artery that prevents backflow of blood into the right ventricle during pulmonary circulation

pulmonary veins

transport oxygenated blood back into the left atrium of the heart. These are the only veins in the body that carry oxygenated blood.

Purkinje fibers

The fibers within the heart that distribute electrical impulses from cell to cell throughout the ventricles

Purkinje network

spreads the electrical impulses throughout the ventricle by means of the Purkinje fibers.

repolarization

The return the return of heart muscle cells to their resting electrical state, causing the heart muscle to relax

right atrium

the right upper chamber of the heart, which receives blood from the body

right ventricle

the right lower chamber of the heart, which pumps blood to the lungs

segment

a portion or part of the electrical tracing produced by the heart

semilunar valve

a valve with half-moon-shaped cusps that open and close, allowing blood to travel only one way; Located in the pulmonary artery and aorta

sinoatrial (SA) node

in the area of specialized cells in the upper right atrium that initiate the heartbeat

sympathetic

the branch of the autonomic nervous system that causes an increase in the heart rate

systemic circulation

the pathways for pumping blood throughout the body and back to the heart