Cardiovascular Anatomy & Physiology Flashcards

Which of the following correctly describes cardiac output (CO)?

Answer: Heart rate multiplied by stroke volume

Cardiac output equals heart rate × stroke volume, representing the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute.

Which echocardiographic view best visualizes all four cardiac chambers simultaneously?

Answer: Apical four-chamber view

The apical four-chamber view displays both atria and both ventricles as well as the mitral and tricuspid valves simultaneously.

In a normal heart, the P wave on ECG corresponds to which mechanical event?

Answer: Atrial depolarization and contraction

The P wave represents electrical depolarization spreading through the atria, which triggers atrial contraction.

Cardiac tamponade is most commonly identified on echocardiography by which finding?

Answer: Diastolic collapse of the right atrium and right ventricle with pericardial effusion

Elevated intrapericardial pressure in tamponade causes diastolic collapse (invagination) of right-sided chambers, indicating hemodynamic compromise.

Which coronary artery supplies the anterior wall of the left ventricle and the anterior two-thirds of the interventricular septum?

Answer: Left anterior descending artery

The LAD (left anterior descending artery) supplies the anterior LV wall, apex, and anterior septum, making it the most clinically significant coronary vessel.

The Eustachian valve is a remnant of fetal circulation found in which cardiac structure?

Answer: Right atrium at the IVC orifice

The Eustachian valve is a crescent-shaped fold at the junction of the inferior vena cava and right atrium, a remnant of the fetal valve of the IVC.

Which parameter best represents left ventricular diastolic function and is measured by tissue Doppler imaging at the mitral annulus?

Answer: E' (e-prime) velocity

The E' (e-prime) velocity measured by tissue Doppler reflects myocardial relaxation velocity and is a key marker of diastolic function.