Cardiovascular system

• What muscular wall divides the heart into two parts

  Septum
• which walls area thicker in the heart and why:

  ventricles because they contract with greater force in order to push blood out of the heart.
• which side of the heart is bigger and why?

  left because it needs to pump blood all around the body
• what is the role of vena cava ?

  brings deoxygenated blood back to the right atrium
• what is the role of the pulmonary vein?

  delivers oxygenated blood to the left atrium
• what is the role of the pulmonary artery?

  takes blood to the lungs
• what is the role of the aorta?

  Takes oxygenated blood To the rest of the body
• what is the function of valves?


  stop the back flow of blood
• where is the tricuspid valve located?

  between the right atrium and the right ventricle
• where is the bicuspid valve located?

  between the left atrium and left ventricle
• where are the semi lunar valves located?

  between the right and left ventricles and the pulmonary artery and aorta
• what is the cardiac conduction system?

  group of specialised cells located in the wall of the heart which send electrical impulses to the cardiac muscle
• what is the mnemonic to summarise the conduction system

  sally always aims balls past vicky
• list out the mnemonic for the conduction system

  SAN

  Atrial systole

  AVN

  Bundle of his

  Purkinje fibres

  ventricular systole
• what is the role of the cardiovascular system?

  ensures the heart rate increases during exercise to allow the working muscles to receive more oxygen
• what is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?

  stimulates the heart to beat faster
• what is the role of the parasympathetic system?

  returns the heart to resting level
• where is the cardiac control centre located?

  in the medulla oblongata
• what stimulates the cardiac control centre?

  Chemoreceptors, baroreceptors and proprioceptors
• what do chemoreceptors detect?

  chemical changes (carbon dioxide)
• what do baroreceptors detect?

  Changes in blood pressure
• what do proprioceptors detect?

  muscle movement
• what is adrenaline and what is it released by?

  stress hormone released by the sympathetic nerves and cardiac nerve during exercise
• what does adrenaline stimulate?

  the SAN (pacemaker)
• what is stroke volume?


  The volume of blood pumped out of the heart per beat
• What is health?

  A complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not just the absence of disease or infinity
• What is fitness

  The ability to cope with the demands of the environment
• What are two types of cholesterol?

  LDL (bad) And HDL (good)
• what is atherosclerosis?

  LDL blocks the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart and brain
• what is atheroma?

  cholesterol breaks off causing a blockage in the artery
• what can atheroma lead to?

  cardiac arrest
• what are the two types of stroke?

  haemorrhagic and ischemic
• what is a haemorrhagic stroke

  Where the artery wall breaks
• what is an ischemic stroke caused by

  A blockage in the artery
• what lifestyle choices lead to a lower chance of heart disease/ stroke?

  an active lifestyle

  a good diet
• What is cardiac output?

  The volume of blood pumped out by the heart ventricles per minute
• What happens to stroke volume and cardiac output during exercise?

  Stroke volume and cardiac output will both increase because the heart must work harder and faster
• What is maximal intensity?

  When exercising at above 85% of maximum heart rate
• What is sub maximal intensity?

  When exercising Below 85% of maximum heart rate
• How can maximum heart rate be calculated?

  220 - age