cardiovascular system

• Superior vena cava


  A large vein that carries oxygen-poor blood to the right atrium from the upper parts of the body.

  
• Inferior vena cava


  A large vein that carries oxygen-poor blood to the right atrium from the lower half of the body.

  
• Right Atrium


  Right upper chamber of the heart. It receives oxygen-poor blood from the body through the inferior vena cava and the superior vena cava

  
• Left Atrium


  Left upper chamber of the heart. It receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs via the pulmonary vein.

  
• Right Ventricle


  Right lower chamber of the heart. It pumps the blood into the pulmonary artery.

  
• Left Ventricle


  Left lower chamber of the heart. It pumps the blood into the aorta

  
• Septum


  Muscular wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart

  
• Tricuspid Valve


  Flaps between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Prevents the back-flow of blood from the ventricle to the atrium

  
• Pulmonary Valve


  Flaps between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. Prevents the back-flow of blood from the pulmonary artery to the right atrium.

  
• Pulmonary Artery


  Blood vessel that carries oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs

  
• Pulmonary Vein


  Blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.

  
• Aorta


  Biggest and longest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the body.

  
• Vasodilation


  When blood vessels close to the surface of the skin dilate to allow more heat to radiate out. Blood is diverted towards the surface of the skin (increasing blood flow into capillaries)
• Vasoconstriction


  When the blood vessels get smaller and divert blood away from the surface of the skin, to allow the body to retain heat (reducing flow of blood into capillaries)
• Artery


  The blood vessel that takes blood away from the heart (apart from the pulmonary artery). They have a small lumen and can withstand high blood pressure
• Vein


  The blood vessel that carries blood to the heart (aside from the pulmonary vein). They have large lumens and have valves to control the direction of blood flow.
• Capillary


  Blood vessels that are a single cell thick. Where gaseous exchange takes place
• Gaseous Exchange


  The process of which oxygen diffuses through the walls of the capillaries into the tissues and carbon dioxide diffuses into the blood.
• Clotting


  Function of the Cardiovascular System

  
• Temperature Regulation


  Function of the Cardiovascular System

  
• Transport


  Function of the Cardiovascular System

  
• Heart Rate


  The amount of times your heart beats in a minute
• Recovery Rate


  The time it takes for the heart rate to return to normal following exercise
• Blood Pressure


  The force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of the blood vessels
• Stroke Volume


  The amount of blood pumped by the heart in one beat

  • difference between end-diolastic and end-systolic volumes
  • the normal range is 50ml - 100ml
• Cardiac Output


  The amount of blood ejected/pumped by the heart in one minute
• Heart Hypertrophy


  When the heart increases in size/gets bigger