1. Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System

• Understand the structure of the heart
• Be able to recall the major arteries and veins of the body

2. The Cardiac Cycle

• Be able to describe the phases of the cardiac cycle
• Be able to recall the stages of the conduction system
• Be able to read a Wiggers diagram

3. Pulses and Pressures

• Understand the types of flow in blood vessels
• Understand the different types of pulses
• Understand the importance of JVP
• Understand the importance of mean arterial blood pressure and how to calculate it

4. Control of Cardiac Output

• Be able to describe the factors that affect cardiac output.
• Be able to use the Frank-Starling law to explain changes in cardiac output.
• Be able to understand the influence of the autonomic nervous system on the cardiovascular system.

5. Cardiac Conduction and Contraction

• Be able to describe the process of cardiac muscle contraction.
• Be able to draw and explain the graphs for the physiological SA node and ventricular action potentials, and to understand how these can change in pathology.

6. Embryology of the CVS

• Understand how the cardiovascular system develops in utero

7. Congenital Heart Defects

• Be able to apply understanding of the anatomy and development of the cardiovascular system to explain how congenital heart defects arise.
• Be able to explain why patients with congenital heart defects present with certain symptoms
• Understand why some babies with congenital heart defects can present with central cyanosis, and some don’t.

8. Hypertension

• Be able to name some causes of hypertension
• Be able to describe how blood pressure is controlled over the short and long term
• Be able to be able to name and describe the different ways that blood pressure is controlled in the long term.

9. Electrocardiograms

• Be able to name what each lead on an ECG looks at and which artery is associated with it
• Be able to describe how depolarisation and repolarisation appear on an ECG
• Be able to calculate the heart rate using an ECG
• Be able to describe how the conduction system appears on an ECG
• Be able to name and describe the intervals seen on an ECG
• Be able to define what a sinus rhythm is

10. Electrocardiogram Pathology

• Be able to name some common cardiovascular conditions visible on an ECG.
• Be able to describe some common cardiovascular conditions and how they appear on an ECG.

11. Cardiovascular Drugs

• Be able to name the different types of cardiac drugs and have an idea of how they treat cardiac disease.
• Be able to name the different classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs and describe how they function.
• Be able to name the types of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension and be able to briefly describe their function.
• Be able to describe the drugs used in the treatment of angina and heart failure.

12. Murmurs

• Be able to name some murmurs caused by defective heart valves.
• Be able to describe the sounds heard when listening to defective heart valves.
• Be able to know where to auscultate to hear different heart sounds.

13. Special Circulations

• Be able to explain the adaptations of the different circulations in the body.
• Relate these adaptations to the function of the organ.

14. Heart Failure

• Be able to list some causes of heart failure
• Be able to explain the different classifications of heart failure
• Understand the pathophysiology of heart failure, and relate this to treatments

15. Artery and Vein Disease

• Be able to explain pathology associated with arteries and veins and give associated complications of these.

16. Acute Coronary Syndromes

• Be able to name the acute coronary syndromes
• Be able to describe why acute coronary syndromes occur
• Be able to name some causes of chest pain
• Be able to differentiate between causes of chest pain
• Be able to differentiate between the types of myocardial infarction and myocardial ischaemia

17. Haemodynamic Shock

• Understand the principles of shock
• Be able to explain the four main causes of shock
• Be able to name some causes of shock
• Be able to describe decompensation