Cardiovascular System Overview

The heart has four chambers: two atria (upper) and two ventricles (lower).

The heart has four valves that control blood flow in one direction: Tricuspid, Pulmonary, Mitral, and Aortic.

The load on the heart muscle at the end of diastole (relaxation phase).

The load on the heart muscle at the end of systole (contraction phase).

The amount of blood pumped by the heart per unit of time.

Elevated blood pressure to a level high enough to damage tissues and organs.

Blood pressure that does not exceed 120/80 mmHg.

Hypertension is classified into stages based on blood pressure readings: Pre-hypertension, Stage 1, Stage 2.

Primary (essential) hypertension has no identifiable cause; it accounts for over 95% of hypertension cases.

Secondary hypertension is caused by an identifiable factor, such as kidney disease or adrenal gland problems. It accounts for a small percentage of hypertension cases.

Blood pressure is calculated as cardiac output (heart rate times stroke volume) multiplied by peripheral resistance.

Hypertension can cause angina (chest pain), enlarged heart (left ventricle), shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs and feet.

Hypertension can lead to severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and even stroke, due to weakened blood vessels in the brain.

Hypertension can cause frequent urination, protein in urine, blood in urine, and increased creatinine levels in the blood. This is linked to hardening of kidney blood vessels.

Hypertension can cause bleeding and fluid buildup in the retina due to damaged blood vessels in the eyes.

High blood pressure commonly occurs between the ages of 30 and 50.

A dangerous type of chest pain that signals an imminent heart attack. It's often caused by factors like hypertension or fever.

A rare type of angina caused by spasms in the coronary arteries. It usually occurs at rest, often between midnight and early morning.

A type of angina affecting smaller blood vessels in the heart. It can be more severe and last longer than other types.

The natural pacemaker of the heart, located in the right atrium. It generates electrical impulses that trigger the heartbeat.

A cluster of cells in the heart that acts as a gatekeeper for electrical signals traveling from the atria to the ventricles.

A type of heart rhythm where the atria beat fast and regularly, but the ventricles beat slower, usually in a 3:1 ratio.

A condition where one of the two electrical pathways to the ventricles is blocked, causing one ventricle to contract slightly slower than the other.

An extra heartbeat that originates in the atria, causing a feeling of skipped beats.

An extra heartbeat that originates in the ventricles, also causing a feeling of skipped beats.

A condition where an abnormal electrical pathway exists between the atria and ventricles, causing the ventricles to contract sooner than normal.

A condition where the heart's natural pacemaker (sinus node) doesn't function properly, leading to irregular heart rate that can be slow or fast.

Atrial fibrillation has a fast and irregular rhythm in the atria, while atrial flutter has a fast and regular rhythm.

No, there's no stable ratio between atrial beats and ventricular beats. This is because the ventricles often beat slower than the atria.

An irregular heartbeat that can be either too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or have an abnormal rhythm.

Arrhythmias are caused by either abnormal impulse formation (A) or abnormal impulse conduction (B).

This occurs when there's a problem with the heart's pacemaker cells, which are responsible for generating electrical impulses that regulate heartbeats.

This occurs when the electrical signals that control the heart rate are blocked or delayed, causing the heart to beat irregularly.

A common cause of arrhythmia where a faulty circuit forms in the heart tissue causing a continuous loop of electrical signals.

A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute (BPM) in adults.

A fast heart rate, more than 100 beats per minute (BPM) in adults.

A rapid, irregular heartbeat, where the heart chambers are not beating in a coordinated way.

The P-QRS-T wave pattern on an electrocardiogram (ECG) reflects the electrical activity of the heart.

The 'P' wave represents atrial depolarization, the electrical signal that triggers the contraction of the atria.

The 'QRS' complex represents ventricular depolarization, the electrical signal that triggers the contraction of the ventricles.

The 'T' wave represents ventricular repolarization, the electrical signal that resets the ventricles for the next heartbeat.

Arrhythmia is any abnormality in the heart's electrical rhythm, resulting in irregular, too fast, or too slow heartbeats.