Cardiac Cycle
Contraction of the ventricles is called this.
What is systole?
Persistent resting heart rate above 100 bpm is called this.
What is tachycardia?
This is the force that blood exerts against a vessel wall, typically measured at the brachial artery.
What is blood pressure?
The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system that regulate heart rate.
What are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
This "Silent Killer" can lead to heart failure by increasing afterload and making the myocardium work harder until it becomes inefficient.
What is Hypertension?
Relaxation of the ventricles is called this.
What is diastole?
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that increases heart rate.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
This instrument is used to measure blood pressure.
What is a sphygmomanometer?
A homeostatic reflex that helps maintain stable blood pressure by adjusting heart rate. It works through pressure sensors located in the aorta and carotid arteries.
What is Baroreflex?
This condition involves a weak point in an artery forming a bulging sac that may rupture; atherosclerosis is its most common cause.
What is an Aneurysm?
The amount of blood ejected per beat (about 70 mL).
What is stroke volume?
Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by this.
What is stroke volume?
Calculating this "Average" pressure is vital because it most influences the risk level for edema, fainting, and kidney failure.
What is Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)?
This hormone, secreted by the heart, is the "antagonist" to aldosterone—it increases salt excretion to lower blood volume and pressure.
What are Natriuretic Peptides?
This pathological accumulation of excess fluid in a tissue can be caused by kidney failure, histamine release, or lymphatic obstruction.
What is Edema?
The first heart sound (“lubb”) is caused by closure of these valves.
What are the AV (atrioventricular) valves?
or (Tricuspid and Mitral(Bicuspid))
This term refers to the stretch of ventricular muscle fibers just before contraction.
What is preload?
This occurs when blood moves backward through a valve that doesn’t close properly.
What is regurgitation (reflux)?
This potent hormone is a powerful vasoconstrictor; its production is often blocked by "inhibitor" drugs to treat hypertension.
What is Angiotensin II?
These result from the failure of venous valves, often caused by long periods of standing, which allows blood to pool and distend the vessels.
What are Varicose Veins?
The volume of blood in a ventricle at the end of filling (about 130 mL).
What is end-diastolic volume (EDV)?
These receptors in the aortic arch and carotid arteries detect changes in blood pressure and trigger reflex changes in heart rate.
What are baroreceptors?
A narrowing or stiffening of a heart valve that restricts blood flow.
What is valvular stenosis?
These receptors detect changes in pH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels and influence heart rate.
What are chemoreceptors?
A patient whose left ventricle fails to pump effectively may develop fluid buildup in the lungs causing shortness of breath.
What is left-sided heart failure (pulmonary edema)?