Course overview
The aim of this course is to provide students with a detailed knowledge of cardiovascular physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and haemodynamics.
Course learning outcomes
- Describe in detail the physiology of the heart including the motion of heart during cardiac cycle, action potentials, Frank-Starling law, phases of the cardiac cycle, cardiac output and heart sounds.
- Interpret ECG rhythms and describe the effects of abnormal rhythms.
- Describe in detail common cardiovascular pathologies, and how these affect the heart and peripheral vessels.
- Explain the normal contraction of the heart and function of the blood vessels, the changes which occur in heart failure, and why these changes occur.
- Analyse the basic mechanism and action of drugs on the cardiovascular system including inotropic/chronotropic drugs, anti-arrhythmic, anti-hypertensive, anti-anginal, anti-coagulant and diuretics.
- Autonomously plan and describe a steam appropriate sonography examination using advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology, normal and abnormal sonographic appearances, ultrasound physics and image optimisation.