Cardiovascular
1. Outline the flow of blood through the heart.
2. List and explain the phases of the Cardiac Cycle including how the SA node, AV node and Purkinje fibers aid in control of this process.
3. Define Cardiac Output and provide the equation that is used to determine this.
4. Explain what would happen to stroke volume if EDV increases and ESV remained constant or decreased.
5. Pretend you have a client that asked you to explain to them why regular exercise can help lower their blood pressure.
6. What changes would you expect to see in a person’s HR, SBP and DBP respectively, in response to exercise?
7. Discuss what VO2 is, including the components of the equation used to calculate this. Discuss the expected difference in VO2 max for trained vs. untrained individuals including why you would expect to see that difference.
8. Discuss the physiological adaptations to the Cardiovascular system during exercise (Don’t just list, discuss briefly how each responds).
9. From a physiological perspective, what concerns might you have if an athlete’s labs indicated their hematocrit values were low. What could this mean, and why could this impact training?
10. Explain the physiological processes that result in the redistribution of blood flow during exercise.
Sample Solution
The flow of blood through the heart is a complex process which involves the circulation of blood throughout various chambers and valves. Blood enters the right side of the heart from the vena cava before being pumped out to the lungs for oxygenation. From there it passes through the left atrium into the left ventricle, from where it is pushed out to all parts of the body via arteries (Stanford Medicine Education, 2020). The cardiac cycle refers to this process of blood flowing in and out of different chambers within the heart in order to deliver oxygen-rich blood around our bodies.
The main components involved in controlling this cycle are known as ‘pacemakers’ – specifically,the SA node, AV node and Purkinje fibers (Grant et al., 2017). The SA node helps initiate contraction by producing electrical impulses that stimulate regular contractions; meanwhile,the AV node acts as an intermediary between ventricular systole and relaxation phase; finally,the Purkinje fibers further help regulate contractions by releasing calcium ions into cardiac muscle cells (Stanford Medicine Education, 2020). Together these components ensure that each part of this cycle occurs smoothly and efficiently with minimal delay or interference.
Overall, then it is clear that both structural anatomy and neuromuscular control play a critical role in regulating cardiac function. Understanding how these two elements interact enables medical professionals to better diagnose any abnormalities or dysfunctions within our cardiovascular systems so they can be treated accordingly.
