The heart

- Structural and functional aspects of cardiac excitation - the electrical cycle (with reference to ECG)

- Structural and functional aspects of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and its modulation (inotropy, lusitropy)

- The cardiac mechanical cycle (on pressure/time and pressure/volume planes) – definition of “systolic” and “diastolic” functions and their coupling.

- Cardiac “mechanical” and “chemical” work - relation to cardiac O₂ consumption (myocardial efficiency)

- Cardiac adaptation to preload and afterload changes in health and disease

- Principles of cardiac (systolic and diastolic) functional measurements (invasive and imaging)

The systemic circulation

- Large arteries dynamics: windkessel mechanism, pressure pulse and its propagation

- Small arteries: regulation of peripheral resistance (intrinsic, neural, paracrine)

- Systemic pressure/flow relationship – peculiarities of the coronary circulation

- Determinants of capillary pressure – mechanisms of “edema”

- Mechanisms of venous return (preload maintenance and regulation)

The pulmonary circulation

- Structure-function peculiarities

- Pulmonary vascular resistance : definition, regulation and measurement

- Outline of fetal circulation and characteristics of fetal hemoglobin

- Heart-lung interaction:

Pulmonary circulation impact on right ventricular function

CPAP hemodynamics in the setting of acute heart failure. 

Regulation  of cardiovascular function

- Pressure / volume homeostasis (neural and endocrine)