Cardiovascular Anatomy Flashcards

Flashcards about cardiovascular anatomy based on lecture notes.

What are the two major circuits of the cardiovascular system?

Systemic circuit and Pulmonary circuit.

What does the systemic circuit do?

Sends oxygenated blood and nutrients to the body cells while removing wastes and deoxygenated blood to the heart.

What is the function of the pulmonary circuit?

Sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs to unload carbon dioxide and receive oxygen, then returns oxygenated blood to the heart.

Which ventricle supplies the pulmonary circuit?

The right ventricle.

Which ventricle supplies the systemic circuit?

The left ventricle.

What is the pathway of deoxygenated blood in systemic circulation?

IVC/SVC -> RA -> Tricuspid valve -> RV.

What is the pathway of oxygenated blood in pulmonary circulation?

Lungs -> Pulmonary veins -> LA -> Mitral (bicuspid) valve -> LV.

Name the vessels that return blood to the heart.

Superior and inferior venae cavae (vena cava).

Name the vessels that transport blood away from the heart.

Ascending aorta, Aortic arch, Descending aorta.

Via what vessels does deoxygenated blood travel to the lungs?

Right ventricle and pulmonary arteries.

Via what vessels does oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium?

Right and left pulmonary veins.

List the three layers of the heart wall.

Outer epicardium, middle myocardium, and inner endocardium.

What is the function of the epicardium?

Protects the heart by reducing friction.

What is the function of the myocardium?

Pumps blood out of the chambers of the heart.

What is the function of the endocardium?

Contains blood vessels and specialized cardiac muscle fibers.

From what three sources does blood enter the right atria?

SVC, IVC, Coronary sinus.

From what source does blood enter the left atria?

Pulmonary veins.

What valve ensures one-way blood flow between the atria and ventricles on the left side of the heart?

Mitral valve (bicuspid valve).

What valve ensures one-way blood flow between the atria and ventricles on the right side of the heart?

Tricuspid valve.

What is the function of the chordae tendineae?

Prevent the cusps of the AV valves from falling back into the atrium.

What do semilunar valves prevent?

Backflow of blood into the ventricles during diastole.

What lies between the left ventricle and the aorta?

Aortic semilunar valve.

What lies between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk?

Pulmonary (pulmonic) semilunar valve.

What happens during diastole?

RA/LA are full of blood, RV/LV relax, AV valves open, allowing blood to flow into ventricles.

What happens during atrial systole?

The atria contract, pushing the last amount of blood from the atria into the ventricles

What happens during systole?

The ventricles contract, AV valves close, semilunar valves open, and ventricles push blood out to the body and to the lungs.

What causes the 'lub' sound?

AV Valve closure (S1).

What causes the 'dub' sound?

Semilunar valve closure (S2).

What are the first branches off of the ascending aorta?

Right and Left Coronary Arteries (RCA/LCA).

What does the right coronary artery (RCA) supply?

RV, LV (25-35%), sinu-atrial (SA) node, AV node, right marginal a., posterior descending a.

What two vessels does the left coronary artery (LCA) become?

LAD – left anterior descending a. and circumflex a. (CXA) or (LCX - left circumflex a.).

What does the LAD supply?

Anterolateral myocardium, Apex, Interventricular septum, 45-55% of the LV.

What does the LCX supply?

The posterolateral LV, 40-50% of the LV.

What is the function of the coronary sinus?

Receives blood from the heart and returns it to the RA.

Where is the sinoatrial node (SA node) located?

Right atrium.

What is the function of the SA node?

Generates the heart’s rhythmic contractions; often referred to as the 'pacemaker'.

What is the function of the AV node?

Provides the conduction pathway between the atrial and ventricular, delays the electrical impulse to the ventricles, and triggers the ventricles to contract.

What does the P wave correspond to?

Atria depolarization of SA node.

What does the QRS complex correspond to?

Ventricular depolarization.

What does the T wave correspond to?

Ventricular repolarization.

What is Cardiac Output (CO)?

The amount of blood pumped by each ventricle in one minute.

How is cardiac output calculated?

CO = SV x HR (stroke volume x heart rate).

What are the three arteries originating from the aortic arch?

The brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, and left subclavian artery.