Circulatory

Flashcard 1

• Front: What is the primary function of the vascular system?

• Back: The vascular system is a transportation system for cells, nutrients, and wastes, crucial for maintaining normal fluid and electrolyte balance.

Flashcard 2

• Front: List the basic structural components of the vascular system in order.

• Back: Artery – arteriole – capillary – venule - vein.

Flashcard 3

• Front: What are the main components of blood?

• Back:

  • Red blood cells (erythrocytes, RBCs)

  • White blood cells (leukocytes, WBCs)

  • Platelets (or thrombocytes)

  • Plasma

Flashcard 4

• Front: What is serum?

• Back: Serum is the fluid component of blood without clotting proteins. It is plasma with clotting proteins removed.

Flashcard 5

• Front: Name the major protein components of plasma.

• Back: Albumin, Clotting proteins, and Globulins (including immunoglobulins).

Flashcard 6

• Front: What type of cells form capillaries?

• Back: Endothelial cells.

Flashcard 7

• Front: How is blood flow regulated at the capillary bed?

• Back: Blood flow is regulated by the arteriole.

Flashcard 8

• Front: Define vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

• Back:

  • Vasoconstriction: Constriction of the arteriole, reducing blood flow.

  • Vasodilation: Dilation of the arteriole, increasing blood flow.

Flashcard 9

• Front: What two factors primarily determine arterial blood pressure (BP)?

• Back: Cardiac output and peripheral resistance (PR).

Flashcard 10

• Front: State the formula relating blood pressure (BP), cardiac output, and peripheral resistance (PR).

• Back: BP = Cardiac output x PR.

Flashcard 11

• Front: What are Starling's forces, and what do they determine?

• Back: Starling's forces are counteracting forces at the capillary level that determine the movement of fluid in the capillary bed.

Flashcard 12

• Front: Name the two types of hydrostatic pressure involved in Starling's forces.

• Back: Capillary pressure and Interstitial fluid pressure.

Flashcard 13

• Front: Name the two types of colloidal osmotic pressure involved in Starling's forces.

• Back: Plasma colloidal osmotic pressure and Interstitial colloidal osmotic pressure. Albumin is a key protein contributing to plasma colloidal osmotic pressure.

Flashcard 14

• Front: What is the net fluid movement at the arterial end of a capillary? What about the venous end?

• Back:

  • Arterial end: Net movement of fluid from the blood vasculature into the tissue.

  • Venous end: Net flow of water back into the vascular system.

Flashcard 15

• Front: What system is responsible for removing excess fluid from the extravascular space?

• Back: The lymphatic system.

Flashcard 16

• Front: What is hyperemia? What is a common cause?

• Back: Hyperemia is a state of more blood in capillaries due to increased inflow. A common cause is vasodilation of arterioles. Blushing is an example.

Flashcard 17

• Front: What is congestion? What is a common cause?

• Back: Congestion is a state of more blood in capillaries due to reduced outflow. A common cause is post-capillary obstruction or venous pressure increase.

Flashcard 18

• Front: What is ischaemia? What are some common causes on the arterial side?

• Back: Ischaemia is reduced blood in capillaries due to reduced FLOW of blood. Common causes on the arterial side include vasoconstriction and a blood clot.

Flashcard 19

• Front: What can ischaemia on the venous side be due to?

• Back: Vascular congestion – outflow obstruction.

Flashcard 20

• Front: Define infarction.

• Back: Death of tissue due to ischaemia (reduced flow).

Flashcard 21

• Front: What are the two main types of infarcts, based on their appearance?

• Back: Arterial (white) infarct and venous (red) infarct.

Flashcard 22

• Front: In what type of circulatory systems do infarcts commonly occur? Give examples.

• Back: Infarcts commonly occur in end-artery systems (no collaterals). Examples include the heart, brain, and kidney. Myocardial infarct is an example of a white infarct.

Flashcard 23

• Front: What is oedema (edema)? What type of fluid is it?

• Back: Oedema is excess interstitial fluid. It is a transudate (low protein content).

Flashcard 24

• Front: Differentiate between exudate and transudate.

• Back: Exudate is effusion with high protein content, while transudate is effusion with low protein content. Edema is a transudate.

Flashcard 25

• Front: Give examples of conditions involving oedema.

• Back: Ascites, hydropericardium, hydrothorax, peripheral oedema.

Flashcard 26

• Front: What are the two main categories of oedema?

• Back: Inflammatory oedema and noninflammatory oedema.

Flashcard 27

• Front: What is the primary mechanism of inflammatory oedema?

• Back: Increased permeability of endothelium.

Flashcard 28

• Front: List some mechanisms and causes of noninflammatory oedema.

• Back:

  • Increased venous hydrostatic pressure (e.g., heart failure, postural oedema)

  • Reduced colloidal osmotic pressure (hypoproteinaemia/hypoalbuminaemia, e.g., kwashiorkor)

  • Lymphatic vessel obstruction (e.g., removal of lymph node)

  • Increased total body water

Flashcard 29

• Front: What is haemorrhage?

• Back: Escape of blood from the vasculature.

Flashcard 30

• Front: Define external haemorrhage and give examples.

• Back: Bleeding outside the body, including into the stomach and intestines.

Flashcard 31

• Front: Define internal haemorrhage and list the locations it can occur.

• Back: Bleeding into cavities (haemoperitoneum, haemopericardium) or into tissues.

Flashcard 32

• Front: Define haematoma, ecchymosis, and petechia.

• Back:

  • Haematoma: Swelling of blood in tissues [-oma = swelling].

  • Ecchymosis: Group of petechia appearing as a paintbrush haemorrhage.

  • Petechia: Pinpoint haemorrhages in tissues.

Flashcard 33

• Front: What is haemostasis?

• Back: The stopping of haemorrhage, a normal function of the blood.

Flashcard 34

• Front: Name the three major components involved in haemostasis.

• Back: Endothelial cells, platelets, and coagulation proteins.

Flashcard 35

• Front: What is the normal role of endothelial cells in haemostasis? What happens when they are injured?

• Back: Normally anticoagulant. When injured, they become procoagulant.

Flashcard 36

• Front: What are platelets and what is their role in haemostasis?

• Back: Cell fragments of megakaryocytes. They adhere, change shape, and recruit other platelets to form a primary plug.

Flashcard 37

• Front: What is the role of coagulation proteins in haemostasis?

• Back: They are activated in a cascade to form a fibrin mesh (secondary plug).

Flashcard 38

• Front: What is a thrombus? How does it differ from a postmortem clot?

• Back: A thrombus is a blood clot that develops within the vessels of a living organism. A postmortem clot forms in vessels after death.

Flashcard 39

• Front: Define thrombogenesis.

• Back: The process whereby blood clots (thrombi) are formed.

Flashcard 40

• Front: List three main factors that contribute to thrombogenesis.

• Back:

  • Endothelial injury

  • Altered blood flow (stasis, turbulence)

  • Hypercoagulability

Flashcard 41

• Front: What is embolism?

• Back: A clustering or aggregation of a substance within the bloodstream that can cause obstruction.

Flashcard 42

• Front: Give examples of different types of emboli.

• Back: Thrombi (thrombotic), gas, air, marrow, neoplastic cells. Pulmonary embolism is a common type.

Flashcard 43

• Front: Define shock in the context of circulatory disturbances.

• Back: Widespread hypoperfusion of tissues resulting from reduced cardiac output and/or reduced effective circulating blood volume.

Flashcard 44

• Front: Name the four main categories or causes of shock.

• Back:

  • Cardiogenic

  • Hypovolemic

  • Blood Maldistribution

Flashcard 45

• Front: Give examples of conditions that can lead to hypovolemic shock.

• Back: Haemorrhage (less blood) or dehydration, protein loss (less plasma).

Flashcard 46

• Front: List the three types of shock categorized under blood maldistribution.

• Back:

  • Neurogenic shock (spinal cord trauma)

  • Septic shock (inflammatory mediators)

  • Anaphylactic shock (hypersensitivity reaction)