Pulmonary Circuit
Carries blood to and from the gas exchange surfaces of the lung
Systemic Circuit
transports blood to and from the rest of the body
arteries
carry blood away from the heart
veins
carry blood towards the heart
capillaries
(exchange vessels) interconnect the smallest arteries and veins
right atrium
receives blood from the systemic circuit
right ventricle
receive blood through the right atrium and send blood to the lungs
left atrium
receive blood from the pulmonary veins
left ventricle
sends blood to the systemic circuit
apex
inferior pointed tip
mediastinum
the region between the two pleural cavities.
cardiac muscle cells
interconnected by intercalated discs
intercalated discs
the interlocked membranes of adjacent cells are held together by desmosomes and linked by gap junctions.
foramen ovale
fossa ovalis
pectinate muscles
auricle contain prominent muscular ridges
regurgitation
if the chordae tendineae were cut or the papillary muscles were damaged, backflow
aortic sinuses
prevent the individual cusps from sticking to the wall of the aorta when the valve opens.
valvular heart disease (VHD)
if valve function deteriorates to the point that the heart cannot maintain adequate circulatory flow.