Cardiovascular Physiology and Heart Function Quiz

Deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium from the body through the vena cava.

Diastole is when the heart relaxes and fills with blood before pumping it out during systole.

The aorta is the largest artery in the body and carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the systemic circulation.

The aortic valve ensures that blood flows from the left ventricle into the aorta and prevents backflow into the heart.

Stroke volume represents the volume of blood ejected from a ventricle with each heartbeat, influenced by preload, afterload, and contractility.

While the circulatory system transports hormones, its primary functions include oxygen delivery, waste removal, and nutrient distribution.

The coronary sinus is not part of the intrinsic conduction system but rather collects blood from coronary veins and drains it into the right atrium.

The SA node generates electrical impulses, initiating the heartbeat and setting the heart rate.

Ventricular systole is the phase when the ventricles contract, forcing blood out of the heart into circulation.

While factors like heart rate and stroke volume affect cardiac output, blood viscosity doesn't directly impact it.

The Frank-Starling mechanism describes how increased venous return stretches the heart muscle fibers, leading to increased contractility and stroke volume.

Systole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle contracts, pumping blood out of the heart and into circulation.

Epinephrine, released by the adrenal glands in response to stress, increases heart rate and contractility, preparing the body for action.

Preload, the stretching of the heart muscle before contraction, is primarily determined by the volume of blood returning to the heart.

Cardiac output measures the amount of blood pumped by the heart per unit of time and is essential for assessing heart function.

The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline, increasing heart rate and contractility in response to stress or excitement.

Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes and fills with blood before the next contraction.

Constriction of peripheral blood vessels increases systemic vascular resistance, leading to increased afterload on the heart.

Sympathetic nervous system stimulation increases the force and speed of heart muscle contractions, enhancing contractility.