| what are the four things blood consists of? | red blood cells, plasma, platelets, white blood cells. |
| what is the function of a red blood cell and how is it adapted for this? | their job is to transport oxygen to our organs/tissues
they are adapted for this by:
- having lots of haemoglobin
- not having a nucleus (more room for haemoglobin)
- having a bioconcave shape (large surface area) |
| what is made when haemoglobin binds with oxygen? | oxyhaemoglobin |
| what are the two functions of plasma? | - to make blood more watery so it can flow
- to carry substances around the blood |
| name four substances that plasma carries | any four from: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, urea, glucose, amino acids, hormones, proteins, carbon dioxide, antibodies and antitoxins. |
| what is the function of white blood cells and what are three ways they carry out this function? | - phagocytes engulf and ingest pathogens
- lymphocytes release antibodies specific to the pathogen
- antitoxins neutralise toxins released by pathogens |
| what are platelets and what is their function? | fragments of cells used to clot blood |
| what are the four chambers of the heart called? | right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle |
| which side of the heart deals with oxygenated blood and which side of the heart deals with deoxygenated blood? | right side deals with deoxygenated blood, left side deals with oxygenated blood. |
| which blood vessels can be found on the left side of the heart? | the aorta and pulmonary vein |
| which blood vessels can be found on the left side of the heart? | pulmonary artery and vena cava |
| where does blood travel to in order to be oxygenated? | the lungs |
| what is the function of arteries, and how are they adapted for this? | they carry blood away from the heart. because they will deal with high blood pressure their walls have thick muscular and elastic tissue. |
| what is the function of capillaries and how are they adapted for this? | they exchange substances with cells. they are adapted for this by their walls only being one cell thick. |
| what is the function of veins and how are they adapted for this? | veins carry blood towards the heart. they contain valves, so that blood doesn't flow the wrong way. |
| which blood vessel contracts to move blood? | arteries |
| in a blood vessel, what is the space in the middle for blood to flow called? | the lumen |
| where to the pulmonary vessels travel to and from? | the lungs |
| where do the hepatic vessels travel to and from? | the liver |
| where do the renal vessels travel to and from? | the kidneys |
| why does exercise increase heart rate? | because your heart needs to pump blood faster around the body so that oxygen can reach muscles quicker to perform aerobic respiration quicker |
| what happens to breathing during exercise ? | breathing rate and depth increase |
| how might I measure breathing and heart rate? | breathing rate - count the amount of times the chest rises and falls
heart rate - place two fingers over an artery (neck or wrist) and count each beat |
| which artery supplies blood to the heart? | the coronary artery |
| what happens when someone has coronary heart disease? | fatty plaque builds up in the artery, making the lumen smaller. blood flows at a slower rate, meaning less oxygen can reach the heart. this can cause heart attacks. |
| what are two treatments for coronary heart disease? | statins and stents |
| how do statins work and what are the advantages and disadvantages? | they are a medication that regulate cholesterol levels (reduce LDL, increase HDL).
advantages: effective treatment
disadvantages: you have to remember to take them, can cause side effects such as kidney failure and headaches |
| what are stents, how to they work and what are the advantages and disadvantages? | stents are an expandable mesh tube that is fitted into a blocked artery to widen it so that blood can flow.
advantages: quick surgery, allows blood to flow
disadvantages: any surgery carries risk ,can cause blood clotting, does not prevent other areas of the artery from clotting, does not address underlying cause |
| how might someone get damaged or weakened heart valves? | naturally, through old age or via a heart attack or infection |
| what are two types of valve damage and how do they effect the heart? | stiff valves that cannot open fully (not enough blood flows through)
weakened valves that don't close properly (blood flows backwards)
both of these problems will cause less oxygen to get to the heart which can cause a heart attack. |
| how can we treat heart valves? | a biological replacement valve (from an animal or human) or a mechanical, man-made valve. |
| what are the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical valves | advantage: your body is unlikely to reject it, they last forever
disadvantage: can cause blood clotting, so blood thinning medication must be taken |
| what are the advantages and disadvantages of biological valves? | advantages: do not need to take drugs alongside them
disadvantages: your body may reject them and they must be replaced every 10-15 years. |
| what are the two treatments for heart failure? | biological heart transplant
mechanical heart transplant |
| what are the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical heart transplants? | advantage: body will not reject it
disadvantage: causes blood clotting so can only be used temporarily |
| what are the advantages and disadvantages of a biological transplant? | advantage - effective when not rejected, person can live a normal life
disadvantage - can be rejected by the body |
