Biology 235 Human Anatomy and Physiology

Study Guide

Chapter 20
The Cardiovascular System: The Heart

Objectives

After completing this chapter, you should be able to

  1. describe the location of the heart.
  2. describe the structure and functions of the pericardium, heart wall, chambers, great vessels and valves of the heart.
  3. outline the flow of blood through the chambers of the heart and through the systemic and pulmonary circulations.
  4. describe the major features of the coronary circulation.
  5. explain the structural and functional characteristics of cardiac muscle tissue and the conduction system of the heart.
  6. describe how an action potential occurs in cardiac contractile fibers.
  7. describe the electrical events of a normal electrocardiogram (ECG).
  8. describe the pressure and volume changes that occur during a cardiac cycle.
  9. relate the timing of heart sounds to ECG waves and pressure changes during systole and diastole.
  10. define the term cardiac output, and describe the factors that regulate stroke volume and heart rate.
  11. explain the relationship between exercise and the heart.

Keywords and Topics

Make certain that you can define, and use in context, each of the terms listed below, and that you understand the significance of each of the concepts.

  1. Describe the location of the heart.
    1. location
    2. heart
      1. mediastinum
      2. apex
      3. base
      4. anterior surface
      5. inferior surface
      6. right and left surface
  2. Describe the structure and functions of the pericardium, heart wall, chambers, great vessels and valves of the heart.
    1. pericardium
      1. fibrous pericardium
      2. serous pericardium
        1. parietal layer
        2. visceral layer or epicardium
      3. pericardial fluid
      4. pericardial cavity
      5. layers of the heart wall
        1. epicardium
        2. myocardium
        3. endocardium
      6. chambers of the heart
        1. atria (2)
        2. ventricles (2)
        3. auricle
        4. coronary sulcus (plural is sulci)
        5. right atrium
          1. pectinate muscle
          2. interatrial septum
          3. fossa ovalis (or foramen ovale)
          4. tricuspid valve (or right atrioventricular valve)
        6. right ventricle
          1. trabeculae carnae
          2. chordae tendineae
          3. papillary muscles
          4. interventricular septum
          5. pulmonary valve
        7. left atrium
          1. bicuspid valve or mitral valve (or left atrioventricular valve)
        8. left ventricle
          1. aortic valve
          2. ligamentum arteriosum
      7. myocardial thickness and function
      8. fibrous skeleton of the heart
  3. Outline the flow of blood through the chambers of the heart and through the systemic and pulmonary circulations.
    1. operation of heart valves
    2. atrioventricular (AV) valves
    3. semilunar (SL) valves
    4. circulation of blood
      1. systemic circulation
      2. pulmonary circulation
  4. Describe the major features of the coronary circulation.
    1. coronary circulation or cardiac circulation
      1. coronary arteries
        1. anastomoses
        2. collateral circulation
      2. coronary veins
      3. coronary sinus
  5. Explain the structural and functional characteristics of cardiac muscle tissue and the conduction system of the heart.
    1. cardiac muscle tissue and the cardiac conduction system
      1. histology of cardiac muscle
      2. intercalated discs
      3. desmosomes
      4. gap junctions
      5. autorhythmic fibers
      6. pacemaker
      7. cardiac conduction system
        1. sinoatrial (SA) node
        2. pacemaker potential
        3. atrioventricular (AV) node
        4. atrioventricular (AV) bundle or bundle of His
        5. left and right bundle branches
        6. Purkinje fibers
      8. artificial pacemaker
  6. Describe how an action potential occurs in cardiac contractile fibers.
    1. action potential and cardiac muscle contraction
    2. contractile fibers
    3. action potential stages
    4. voltage gated fast Na+ channels
    5. rapid depolarization
    6. plateau
    7. voltage gated slow Ca++ channels
    8. voltage gated K+ channels
    9. repolarization
    10. refractory period
  7. Describe how an action potential occurs in cardiac contractile fibers.
    1. electrocardiogram or ECG or EKG
      1. electrocardiograph
      2. P wave
      3. atrial depolarization
      4. QRS complex
      5. ventricular depolarization
      6. T wave
      7. ventricular repolarization
    2. correlation of ECG waves with atrial and ventricular systole
      1. systole
      2. diastole
  8. Describe the pressure and volume changes that occur during a cardiac cycle.
    1. cardiac cycle
      1. pressure and volume changes
      2. atrial systole
      3. end diastolic volume (EDV)
      4. ventricular systole
      5. atrial diastole
      6. isovolumetric contraction
      7. ventricular ejection
      8. end systolic volume (ESV)
      9. stroke volume
      10. relaxation period
      11. ventricular diastole
      12. dicrotic wave
      13. isovolumetric relaxation
      14. ventricular filling
  9. Relate the timing of heart sounds to ECG waves and pressure changes during systole and diastole.
    1. heart sounds
    2. lubb and dupp sounds
    3. heart murmurs
  10. Define the term cardiac output, and describe the factors that regulate stroke volume and heart rate.
    1. cardiac output (CO)
      1. cardiac output (CO) = stroke volume (SV) × heart rate (HR)
      2. cardiac reserve
      3. regulation of stroke volume
      4. preload (effect of stretching)
        1. Frank Starling law of the heart
        2. venous return
      5. contractility
        1. positive and negative inotropic agents
      6. afterload
      7. regulation of heart rate
      8. autonomic regulation of heart rate
        1. cardiovascular centre
        2. proprioceptors
        3. chemoreceptors
        4. baroreceptors
        5. cardiac accelerator nerves
        6. vagus (X) nerve
      9. chemical regulation of heart rate
        1. hormones
        2. tachycardia
        3. cations
      10. other factors that regulate heart rate
      11. bradycardia
      12. hypothermia
  11. Explain the relationship between exercise and the heart.
    1. exercise and the heart
    2. disorders
      1. arteriosclerosis
      2. atherosclerosis
      3. ventricular fibrillation
    3. medical terminology
      1. cardiac arrest
      2. palpitation

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