- Heart : Left & Right atria (atrium) & ventricles
- Atrioventricular valves (tricuspid & bicuspid (mitral)) + semilunar valves (aortic & pulmonary)
- Ventricular contraction (systole) & ventricular relaxation (diastole)
- The conduction system is composed of the sinoatrial (SA) node (initiate the impluse), the internodal pathways (conduct the impulse), the atrioventricular (AV) node (slightly delay the impulse), the atrioventricular (AV) bundle (conducts it to the ventricles), the left bundle branch and right bundle branch (further divide into the Purkinje fibers & conduct impulses to all parts of the ventricles).
- The rhythmicity of the myocardium is influenced by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Stimulation of the sympathetic nerves accelerates depolarization of the SA node, which causes the heart to beat faster.
- The resting heart rate normally ranges from 60 to 100 beats/min; fewer than 60 beats/min is called bradycardia, and more than 100 beats/min is called tachycardia.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) is composed of a P-wave, QRS complex, T-wave
Cardiovascular system
- Blood : the O² transport is accomplished by hemoglobin (iron-protein carried by the red blood cells). It also has an acid-base buffer role (through the hydrogen ion concentration).
Respiratory system
- Pleural pressure is the pressure in the narrow space between the lung pleura and the chest wall pleura. It is normally slightly negative.
- Alveolar pressure is the pressure inside the alveoli when the glottis is open and no air is flowing into or out of the lungs
- During expiration, alveolar pressure must rise above atmospheric pressure
- During normal respiration at rest, only 3% to 5% of the total energy expended is required for pulmonary ventilation. During very heavy exercise, it can rise to 8% to 15%.
- For the gaz exchange : The process of diffusion is a simple random motion of molecules moving in opposite directions through the alveolar capillary membrane... from the region of high concentration to the region of low concentration. It is really fast, almost instantaneous.
