Unit 3.1 Notes

Vocabulary

  • Coronary arteries: Supply blood to the heart.

  • Cardiovascular: The body's transport system (heart, blood vessels, blood).

  • Heart rate: Cardiac activity in beats per minute.

  • Pulse: Rhythmic expansion/recoil of arteries from heart contraction.

  • Blood pressure: Blood's force on vessel walls (measured in mm Hg).

  • Systolic pressure: Arterial pressure during heart contraction (systole).

  • Diastolic pressure: Arterial pressure during heart's resting phase (diastole).

  • Sphygmomanometer: Instrument for measuring blood pressure.

  • Cardiac output: Blood pumped by ventricles per minute.

  • Stroke volume: Blood pumped per heartbeat (avg. 75 mL/beat).

  • Electrocardiogram: Measures heart's electrical activity.

  • Arrhythmia: Heartbeat rate/rhythm problem.

  • Tachycardia: Fast heartbeat (>100 bpm).

  • Bradycardia: Slow heartbeat (<60 bpm).

  • Diffusion: Movement from high to low concentration.

  • Spirometry: Measures lung function via air inhalation/exhalation.

  • Tidal Volume (TV): Air volume breathed without effort.

  • Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV): Extra air inhaled with max effort after normal inspiration.

  • Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV): Extra air exhaled forcibly after normal exhalation.

  • Vital Capacity (VC): Total air exhaled after max inhalation: VC=TV+IRV+ERVVC = TV + IRV + ERV

  • Residual Volume (RV): Air remaining after max exhalation.

  • Total Lung Capacity (TLC): Total lung volume: TLC=VC+RVTLC = VC + RV

  • Hyperventilation: Rapid, deep breathing (overbreathing).

  • Empathy: Understanding another's feelings.

Cardiovascular System

  • Blood flow delivers nutrients, removes waste.

  • Heart pumps with force of tennis ball squeeze.

  • Heart muscle works intensely.

  • Three muscle types: skeletal, smooth, cardiac.

    • Cardiac: striated, intercalated disks, involuntary.

    • Skeletal: joint movement (biceps, etc.).

Heart Anatomy and Function

  • The heart is in the thoracic cavity midline.

  • It oxygenates blood and supplies it to the body.

  • Four chambers: two atria, two ventricles.

    • Valves separate chambers: tricuspid (right), mitral (left).

    • Valves prevent backflow.

    • Pulmonary valve: to pulmonary artery.

    • Aortic valve: to aorta.

  • Red: oxygenated blood; blue: deoxygenated. Color due to light reflection.

Blood Circulation

  • Deoxygenated blood enters right atrium via vena cavas, moves through tricuspid valve to right ventricle.

  • To lungs via pulmonary valve/arteries (CO2 drops, O2 picked up).

  • Oxygen-rich blood to left atrium via pulmonary veins.

  • Through mitral valve to left ventricle.

  • Exits left ventricle via aortic valve to body.

  • Heart sounds: valve closures.

    • First: tricuspid/mitral.

    • Second: pulmonary/aortic.

  • Ventricles contract together. Heart pumps blood to organs. Coronary arteries supply heart muscle.

Coronary Arteries

  • Left coronary artery supplies the left heart side.

    • Left anterior descending.

    • Circumflex.

  • Right coronary artery supplies the right ventricle/atrium, SA/AV nodes (heart rhythm).

Cardiovascular System Components

  • Arteries: blood away from heart.

  • Veins: blood to heart.

  • Pulmonary/umbilical arteries (deoxygenated), veins (oxygenated) are exceptions.

  • Capillaries: gas exchange.

Major Arteries and Veins

  • Carotid arteries (left/right): neck to head (brain/face).

  • Jugular veins: deoxygenated blood from head to heart.

Cardiovascular Health Measures

  • Blood pressure, heart rate indicate health.

  • Heart rate affects blood flow.

  • Pulse: artery wave with heartbeat.

  • Resting heart rate: 60–100 bpm (adults).

    • Increased by: activity, illness, stress.

    • Decreased by: meditation, beta blockers.

  • Blood pressure in mm Hg, measured on brachial artery.

Blood Pressure Measurement Procedure

  1. Cuff on upper arm, stethoscope on brachial artery.

  2. Inflate cuff above systolic, stop blood flow.

  3. Release pressure; note systolic (first sound).

  4. Release further; note diastolic (sound stops).

Additional Cardiovascular Calculations

  • Cardiac output: heart rate x stroke volume (75 mL/min).

  • Doppler ultrasound: blood flow sounds.

  • Ankle-brachial index (ABI): Doppler to measure blood pressure in limbs to monitor flow.

  • Heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, ABI: assess cardiovascular condition risk.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

  • PAD: reduced blood flow to extremities; increases clot risk.

  • Symptoms: pain while walking, skin changes.

  • Critical limb ischemia: blocked blood flow.

Heart Conduction System

  • Coordinates heart contraction/relaxation.

  • SA node starts signal.

  • Signal spreads across atria.

  • Reaches AV node.

  • Down Bundle of His.

  • To left/right branches.

  • Spreads through Purkinje fibers.

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

  • EKG: electrical activity recording (P wave, QRS complex, T wave).

  • Detects irregular heartbeat, blocked arteries, heart damage, heart attack.

Heart Arrhythmia

  • Arrhythmia: irregular heartbeat (misfired signals).

  • Tachycardia (fast), bradycardia (slow), or unpredictable pattern.

  • Fibrillation: ineffective pumping.

  • AED: shock to restore rhythm.

  • Pacemakers: electrical impulses for normal rhythm.

CPR and Rescue Breathing

  • CPR needed for cardiac arrest, near-drownings, etc.

  • Rescue breathing (oxygen supply) + CPR (blood movement).

Heart-Lung Partnership

  • Right heart: blood to lungs.

  • Lungs: oxygenate blood, send back to the heart.

  • Left heart: oxygen-rich blood to body.

Cardiologists and Pulmonologists

  • Cardiologists: heart/vessel specialists.

  • Pulmonologists: lung specialists.

  • Work together.

  • Left lung smaller due to heart.

Lung Anatomy

  • Lungs divided by fissures to prevent damage spreading.

  • Right lung: horizontal and oblique fissures separate lobes.

  • Left lung: oblique fissure.

Respiratory System

  • Respiratory and cardiovascular coordinate process to supply oxygen to the body from air in atmosphere.

  • Air through nostrils, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx.

  • Through the trachea and into the bronchi.

  • From the bronchi to the bronchioles to the alveoli. Gas exchange occurs here.

Respiratory Zones

  • Conducting zone: air passage.

  • Respiratory zone: bronchioles/alveoli (gas exchange).

  • Oxygen moves to bloodstream, carbon dioxide moves out.

Respiratory Process

  • Nose filters air.

  • Air to pharynx, trachea to lungs.

  • Larynx (voice box) on trachea.

  • Bronchi to bronchioles.

  • Alveoli: air sacs with capillaries.

  • Diaphragm expands/contracts lungs.

Breathing Statistics

  • About 25,000 breaths/day, 10,000 liters of air.

  • Autonomic nervous system controls.

  • Inhale: ~80% nitrogen, ~20% oxygen. Exhale: ~15% oxygen.

Lung Diseases

  • Lung disease: various disorders (asthma, COPD, infections, cancer).

  • Third leading cause of death in the U.S.

Respiration Mechanism

  • Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out.

  • Diaphragm: contracts (inhale), relaxes (exhale).

  • Oxygen diffuses into capillaries, carbon dioxide diffuses out.

Pulse Oximetry

  • Measures blood oxygen level.

  • Normal: 95-100%. Below 92% = problem.

Spirometry

  • Measures lung volumes during breathing.

  • Most people use only ~10% of lung capacity at rest.

Flow Rate and FEV1

  • Flow Rate: air volume moved over time.

  • FEV1: air forcibly exhaled in 1 second.

    • FEV1 > 80% = Normal.

    • FEV1 60-79% = Mild.

    • FEV1 40-59% = Moderate.

    • FEV1 < 40% = Severe.

Asthma Medications

  • Albuterol: short-term rescue.

  • Fluticasone: long-term control.

Altitude Sickness

  • Occurs at 2500+ meters.

  • Lower air pressure = less dense oxygen.

  • Hyperventilation reduces CO2.

  • Symptoms: headaches, GI, sleep.

  • HACE, HAPE are less frequent.

Pulmonary Edema

  • Fluid buildup in alveoli.

  • Symptoms: wheezing, shortness of breath,

EKG - PQRST Complex

  • Represents one complete heartbeat cycle.

    • P wave: Atrial depolarization (atria contract).

    • QRS complex: Ventricular depolarization (ventricles contract), atrial repolarization (atria relax).

    • T wave: Ventricular repolarization (ventricles relax).

  • Deviation from normal