ch. 11 vocab

Pericardium - Membrane enclosing the heart, consisting of an outer fibrous layer and an inner double layer of serous membrane.

Atria (atrium) - Each of the two upper cavities of the heart from which blood is passed to the ventricles.

Ventricles - A hollow part or cavity in an organ 

Septa - A dividing wall or membrane especially between bodily spaces or masses of soft tissue.

Fossa ovalis - A depression in the right atrium of the heart, at the level of the interatrial septum. 

AV valves - Valves located between the atria (upper chambers) and ventricles (lower chambers). 

Chordae tendineae - Fibrous strands in the heart that connect the AV valves to the papillary muscles in the ventricles. 

Systemic circulation - Fibrous strands that attach the papillary muscles of the heart to the atrioventricular valves. 

Pulmonary circulation -Part of the cardiovascular system that carries blood between the heart and lungs. 

Coronary circulation - The system of blood vessels that supply the heart muscle (myocardium) with oxygen and nutrients, and then drain away the deoxygenated blood. 

Coronary vessels - Blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen and nutrients. 

Sinoatrial node - The heart's natural pacemaker, located in the upper right atrium near the superior vena cava. 

Systole - The heart's natural pacemaker, located in the upper right atrium near the superior vena cava.

Diastole - Phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood.

Cardiac cycle - The sequence of events that occur during one complete heartbeat, from the start of one beat to the start of the next.

Cardiac output - The amount of blood the heart pumps in 1 minute. 

Heart rate - Number of times the heart beats per minute. 

Stroke volume - The amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each heartbeat. 

Arteries - Equivalent to blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. 

Renal artery - Major blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the kidneys.  

Arterioles - Small blood vessels that branch off from arteries & lead to capillaries, forming part of the microcirculation. 

Capillary beds - Network of small blood vessels that allow the exchange of gas, water, and nutrients. 

Venules - Very small vein, especially one collecting blood from the capillaries. 

Veins - Blood vessels that carry blood to the heart from tissues and organs in the body.

Hepatic portal system - Unique circulatory system that connects two systems of capillary beds: one in the sinusoidal area of the liver and the other in the wall of the small intestine and spleen.

Vital signs - Measurable physiological indicators that reflect a person's overall health and well-being.

Pulse - Regular movement of blood through the body that is caused by the beating of the heart. 

Pressure points - Specific location on the body where an artery runs close to the surface and can be compressed against an underlying bone to control blood flow.

Systolic pressure - Maximum force exerted by blood against the arteries when the heart contracts & pumps blood throughout the body. 

Diastolic pressure - The bottom number in a blood pressure reading, representing the minimum pressure in the arteries between heartbeats when the heart is relaxed & filling w/ blood. 

Peripheral resistance - The resistance in the circulatory system that is used to create blood pressure, the flow of blood and is also a component of cardiac function. 

Vasoconstriction - The narrowing of blood vessels, typically due to the contraction of the smooth muscles within the vessel walls. 

Hypotension - Low blood pressure, happens when blood pressure drops below the normal range, typically below 90/60 mm Hg. 

Hypertension - A condition where the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high.