Cardiovascular Physiology Overview for Medical Students

Cardiovascular System Components

• The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

Blood Supply to AV Node

• The artery that supplies the AV node in the majority of people is the right coronary artery.

B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Function

• The primary function of B-Type natriuretic peptide produced by ventricular myocytes is to reduce blood volume and pressure by promoting vasodilation and increasing sodium excretion.

Veins and Right Atrium

• The vein that opens into the right atrium just to the left of the mouth of the inferior vena cava is the coronary sinus.

Dominant Pacemaker in Healthy Heart

• The dominant pacemaker in a healthy heart is the sinoatrial (SA) node.

Sympathetic Innervation

• Sympathetic innervation supplies the AV node, SA node, and cardiac muscle from the cervical and thoracic regions of the spinal cord.

Core Functions of Cardiovascular System

• The core functions of the cardiovascular system are transportation of oxygen and nutrients, removal of waste products, regulation of body temperature, and maintenance of blood pressure.

Non-Core Functions

• The cardiovascular system is not responsible for digestion or absorption of nutrients.

Body Fluid Compartments

• Examples of body fluid compartments include intravascular, interstitial, and intracellular fluids.

Primary Function of Blood Vessels

• The primary function of blood vessels in the cardiovascular system is to transport blood throughout the body.

Protection against Infection and Blood Loss

• The primary function of platelets and the coagulation cascade is to protect against infection and blood loss in the cardiovascular system.