Heart Anatomy and Physiology Review

Flashcards covering the external and internal anatomy, great vessels, coronary circulation, histology, and basic functions of the heart, including ECG interpretation, based on lecture notes.

What is the pointed inferior portion of the heart called?

Apex

What is the broad superior portion of the heart, where great vessels attach, called?

Base

Which chamber is the superior receiving chamber on the left side of the heart?

Left atrium

Which chamber is the superior receiving chamber on the right side of the heart?

Right atrium

What is the ear-like appendage of the left atrium called?

Left auricle

What is the ear-like appendage of the right atrium called?

Right auricle

Which chamber pumps oxygenated blood to the body via the aorta?

Left ventricle

Which chamber pumps deoxygenated blood to the pulmonary trunk?

Right ventricle

What fibrous cord is a remnant of the fetal ductus arteriosus?

Ligamentum arteriosum

Which large vessel brings deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium?

Superior vena cava

Which large vessel brings deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the right atrium?

Inferior vena cava

What large artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs?

Pulmonary trunk

Which vessels carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium?

Pulmonary veins

Which vessels branch from the pulmonary trunk and carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs?

Pulmonary arteries

What is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle?

Aorta

What is the initial curvature of the aorta as it ascends from the heart?

Ascending aorta

What is the curved portion of the aorta that gives rise to arteries supplying the head and upper limbs?

Aortic arch

What is the portion of the aorta that extends inferiorly through the thorax?

Descending/thoracic aorta

What artery supplies the right atrium, right ventricle, and parts of the left ventricle and conduction system?

Right coronary artery

What artery divides into the anterior interventricular and circumflex arteries?

Left coronary artery

Which artery is a branch of the left coronary artery that supplies the left atrium and posterior left ventricle?

Circumflex artery

Which artery, also known as the LAD, supplies the interventricular septum and anterior walls of both ventricles?

Anterior interventricular artery

What major vein drains blood from the anterior surface of the ventricles and empties into the coronary sinus?

Great cardiac vein

What large venous structure drains most of the deoxygenated blood from the myocardium into the right atrium?

Coronary sinus

What chamber on the internal right side of the heart receives blood from the superior and inferior vena cava?

Right atrium

What chamber on the internal right side of the heart pumps blood to the pulmonary trunk?

Right ventricle

What atrioventricular valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle?

Tricuspid valve

What semilunar valve is located at the exit of the right ventricle?

Pulmonary SL valve

What is the shallow depression in the interatrial septum, remnant of the foramen ovale?

Fossa ovalis

What are the fibrous cords that connect the tricuspid valve leaflets to their respective papillary muscles?

Chordae tendineae

What cone-shaped muscles in the right ventricle attach to the chordae tendineae?

Papillary muscles

What muscular ridges are found along the inner surface of the right atrium?

Pectinate muscle

What irregular muscular ridges are found on the internal walls of the ventricles?

Trabeculae carneae

What is the middle, muscular wall layer particularly prominent in the ventricles?

Myocardium

What muscular wall separates the right and left ventricles?

Interventricular septum

Through which opening does the coronary sinus drain into the right atrium?

Opening of coronary sinus

What chamber on the internal left side of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins?

Left atrium

What chamber on the internal left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta?

Left ventricle

What atrioventricular valve, also known as the mitral valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle?

Bicuspid (or mitral) valve

What semilunar valve is located at the exit of the left ventricle?

Aortic SL valve

What fibrous cords connect the bicuspid valve leaflets to their respective papillary muscles?

Chordae tendineae

What cone-shaped muscles in the left ventricle attach to the chordae tendineae?

Papillary muscles

What muscular ridges are found along the inner surface of the left atrium?

Pectinate muscle

What irregular muscular ridges are found on the internal walls of the left ventricle?

Trabeculae carneae

What is the thickest muscular wall layer of the heart, responsible for its pumping action?

Myocardium

What muscular wall separates the left and right ventricles?

Interventricular septum

What is the tough, outermost protective sac of the heart?

Fibrous pericardium

What is the outer layer of the serous pericardium, lining the fibrous pericardium?

Parietal pericardium

What is the inner layer of the serous pericardium, intimately covering the surface of the heart?

Visceral pericardium

What is the space between the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium?

Pericardial cavity

What is the outermost layer of the heart wall, also known as the visceral pericardium?

Epicardium

What is the smooth, internal lining of the heart chambers and valves?

Endocardium

What is the middle, thickest muscular layer of the heart wall?

Myocardium

What is the primary function of the heart?

To pump blood throughout the body

What are the key functions of the pericardium?

To protect and anchor the heart, prevent overfilling, and provide a frictionless environment

What is the function of the atria?

Receiving chambers for blood returning to the heart

What is the function of the ventricles?

Pumping chambers that eject blood from the heart

What is the function of the papillary muscles?

To prevent the AV valve cusps from everting into the atria during ventricular contraction

What is the function of the chordae tendineae?

To anchor the AV valve cusps to the papillary muscles, preventing valve prolapse

What is the function of the tricuspid valve?

To prevent backflow of blood from the right ventricle into the right atrium

What is the function of the bicuspid (mitral) valve?

To prevent backflow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium

What is the function of the aortic semilunar valve?

To prevent backflow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle

What is the function of the pulmonary semilunar valve?

To prevent backflow of blood from the pulmonary trunk into the right ventricle

What is the function of the coronary arteries?

To supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle (myocardium)

What is the function of the coronary veins?

To drain deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle (myocardium)

Which chambers and great vessels on the left side of the heart contain oxygenated blood?

Left atrium, left ventricle, pulmonary veins, aorta

Which chambers and great vessels on the right side of the heart contain deoxygenated blood?

Right atrium, right ventricle, superior/inferior vena cava, pulmonary trunk, pulmonary arteries

Describe the flow of deoxygenated blood through the heart starting from the vena cavae.

Vena Cavae → Right Atrium → Tricuspid Valve → Right Ventricle → Pulmonary SL Valve → Pulmonary Trunk → Pulmonary Arteries → Lungs

Describe the flow of oxygenated blood through the heart starting from the pulmonary veins.

Pulmonary Veins → Left Atrium → Bicuspid (Mitral) Valve → Left Ventricle → Aortic SL Valve → Aorta → Body

What is the fundamental cell type composing the heart muscle?

Cardiac muscle cell

What specialized junctions connect cardiac muscle cells, containing desmosomes and gap junctions?

Intercalated discs

What prominent organelle is typically centrally located within a cardiac muscle cell?

Nucleus

What visible characteristic of cardiac muscle tissue is due to the organized arrangement of contractile proteins?

Striations

What diagnostic tool records the electrical activity of the heart?

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

What wave on an ECG represents atrial depolarization?

P wave

What complex on an ECG represents ventricular depolarization?

QRS complex

What wave on an ECG represents ventricular repolarization?

T wave

Which phases of the heart's activity (depolarization/repolarization, systole/diastole) can be identified from an ECG?

Atrial and ventricular depolarization, ventricular repolarization, and ventricular systole/diastole

What key skill is necessary to assess cardiac health using an ECG (Electrocardiogram)?

Recognize normal and abnormal ECGs; identify waves, complexes, intervals, and segments

What ECG components relate to chamber activity and electrical events?

Waves and complexes relate to depolarization and repolarization of atria and ventricles; intervals and segments relate to systole/diastole

In which body cavity is the heart located?

Thoracic cavity (specifically, the mediastinum)

What is the term for the contraction phase of a heart chamber?

Systole

What is the term for the relaxation phase of a heart chamber?

Diastole

What is another common name for the bicuspid valve?

Mitral valve

Which side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood through the systemic circulation?

Left side

Which side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood through the pulmonary circulation?

Right side

What fluid is found within the pericardial cavity?

Pericardial fluid

What is the primary tissue component of the interventricular septum?

Myocardium

What two internal structures work together to prevent the AV valves from prolapsing into the atria during ventricular contraction?

Chordae tendineae and papillary muscles

What are the muscular ridges visible on the inner surface of the atria?

Pectinate muscles