AS Edexcel Biology

Topic 1 Lifestyle, health and risk

1.2 The heart and health
Name:_________________________

Heart Structure:
Label the diagram of the heart

What tissue is the heart made of?

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What makes this tissue unique compared to other tissues?
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Functions of the structures in the heart:

Structure

Function

Questions (page 25 of Edexcel Student Book)

1. Describe the path of blood around the human body, identifying at which points the
blood is oxygenated and where it is deoxygenated. Explain how this system efficiently
supplies cells with the oxygen they need.
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2. Discuss the relationship between structure and function for these parts of the heart:
Semilunar valves
Muscle walls (and its thickness) in the atria and ventricles
Tendinous cord
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How your heart works:

Explain what causes the lub-dub sound of a heart beat:
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The cardiac cycle
Identify the stages (diastole or atrial systole or ventricular systole) in the cardiac cycle and
label the valves (state whether they are open or closed)

Define the terms below:

Diastole:_____________________________________________________________
Atrial systole:_________________________________________________________
Ventricular systole:_____________________________________________________
Complete the table below by writing open or closed for each valve at each stage of the
cardiac cycle:
Stage of cardiac cycle

Atrio-ventricular valves

Semi-lunar valves

Diastole
Atrial systole
Ventricular systole

Explain why the semi-lunar valves close in diastole in terms of the pressure in the aorta,
pulmonary artery and ventricles:
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Explain why the atrio-ventricular valves open in atrial systole in terms of the different
pressures in the atria and ventricles:
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Explain the positions (open or closed) of the atrio-ventricular valves and semi-lunar valves
in ventricular systole:
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Explain the relationship between the volume and pressure in the ventricles:
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Why does the atrial pressure increase during ventricular systole?
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Why does the pressure in both the atria and ventricles increase during diastole?
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What do you think the phonocardiagram is detecting and points 1 and 2?
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What affects the heartbeat:

Explain why heart rate increases during physical exercise:
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Cardiac muscle is said to be myogenic. This means it has the ability to contract on its own
without electrical stimulation. This is also known as intrinsic rhythmicity. Describe one
way we can show, experimentally, that adult cardiac muscle shows intrinsic rhythmicity:
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What is the natural intrinsic rhythm of the heart?
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How is the heartbeat rhythm maintained in the body?
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In order to respond to changes in the environment the heart is supplied with nerves
controlled by what part of the brain?
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How do each of the two nerves affect the heart?
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Explain how carbon dioxide affects heart rate

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Name a hormone that causes the heart rate to increase:
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Answer questions 1 and 2 on page
Blood pressure
Relate the points in the cardiac cycle to blood pressure in the blood vessel:
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What is peripheral resistance and how does it affect blood flow?
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Why is there little resistance in arteries?
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What is the affect of elastic recoil in the arteries?
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Why does peripheral resistance increase in arterioles and capillaries but blood pressure
falls?

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Explain how sphygmomanometers work:

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Describe the advantages and disadvantages of manual and automatic
sphygmomanometers:
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Explain the terms:
i) systolic blood pressure:
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ii) diastolic blood pressure:
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What are the units for blood pressure?
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What is classed as normal blood pressure?

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What is hypertension and what sustained value for blood pressure is an indicator for it?
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What is hypotension and what blood pressure value is an indicator for it?
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What conditions could result in hypotension and hypertension?
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Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular diseases consist of which two groups of diseases?
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Using the information in the diagram on page ? answer the questions below:
What is the biggest cause of death in men of all ages?
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What is the biggest cause of death in men aged-20 74?
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How are deaths classified in this age group?
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What is the biggest cause of death in women of all ages?

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What is the biggest cause of death in women aged 20 74?
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What causes of death could be included n the section titled other?
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Many CVDs are linked to arthersclerosis. Briefly explain what this is:
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Where are plaques most likely to form?
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What can cause damage to the endothelial cells of arteries?
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Why does artherosclerosis normally occur in arteries rather than veins?
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Explain why the fatty deposits, or artheroma, occur:
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What causes the artheroma to harden and what effect does this have on the functioning
of arteries?
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Based on the information above give a more detailed definition for arthersclerosis:
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Explain the effect arthesclerosis has on blood pressure:

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What are aneurisms and how are they caused?
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Explain how high blood pressure can damage the kidneys:
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How can doctors detect kidney damage?
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How can high blood pressure cause blindness?
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ANSWER QUESTIONS 1 AND 2 ON PAGE 31

Heart Disease
Name the two most common forms of heart disease:
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Explain the link between artherosclerosis and angina:
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What lifestyle changes can help prevent or reduce angina?
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How do drugs help treat angina?
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In severe cases what else maybe required to treat angina?
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What is a myocardial infarction?
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What three events or factors trigger the clotting cascade in arteries affected by
artherosclerosis?
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What is a coronary thrombosis and how can it lead to a heart attack?
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Describe some symptoms of a heart attack:
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Why is aspirin a useful first aid treatment for suspected heart attacks?
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What is a stroke?
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What are the two events that can cause a stroke?
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What determines the severity of a stroke?
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What are some of the symptoms of a stroke?

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ANSWER QUESTIONS 1 AND 2 ON PAGE 33 (Hint: question 1 requires actual detail of
the blood clotting process)