501769 - CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY (A-L)

courses

ID:

501769

Duration (hours):

24

CFU:

SSD:

FISIOLOGIA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (02/03/2026 - 05/06/2026)

Course Objectives

The integrated course in Human Physiology is designed to lead the student to learn the vital processes that take place at the cellular level when various groups of cells organise to form specific tissues and organs in the human species. At the end of the lessons of the integrated course, the student will have acquired fundamental knowledge about the functioning of the major organs and apparatuses of the human body, their complex relationships with each other and the control systems that regulate their activity. The course also covers human nutrition and energy metabolism as well as health physics topics.

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Course Prerequisites

The student of the Human Physiology course is required to possess or acquire the following knowledge and skills:
- mathematics: knowledge of mathematics at secondary school level supplemented by the skills acquired in the teaching of Medical Physics in the first year of the course
- physics: all the skills acquired in the teaching of Medical Physics in the first year of the course with particular regard to the biophysical approach to the function of tissues and organs.
- biology: physics skills at secondary school level supplemented by all the skills acquired in the Biology teaching of the 1st year of the course with particular regard to the genetic code, its transmission and mutations
- histology: all the knowledge acquired in the teaching of Histology and Embryology in the first year of the course with particular regard to cellular functions and the structure of tissues and organs.
- anatomy: all the knowledge acquired in the teaching of Human Anatomy in the first year of the course with particular emphasis on the structure of organs and their functional anatomy. Passing the Anatomy examination is a prerequisite for the Human Physiology examination.
- biochemistry: all the skills acquired in the Biochemistry course of the first year with particular emphasis on the metabolic pathways of energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, the structure of proteins and their synthesis and degradation. Passing the Biochemistry examination is a prerequisite for the Physiology examination.

Teaching Methods

Lezioni frontali e domande in aula. Tutte le presentazioni delle lezioni sono messe a disposizione nella pagina Kiro.

Assessment Methods

The exam consists of a written test and an oral test. Written Test. It is divided into two consecutive phases: Phase 1: Multiple choice test, composed of 60 questions, each with only one correct answer. 1 point will be awarded for each correct answer. 0 points for each unanswered question. -0.25 points for each incorrect answer The minimum score required to proceed to the second part of the written test is 36 points (60% of the maximum score), which represents the minimum level of basic knowledge required to continue. Duration: 45 minutes . Phase 2: For students who reach the eligibility threshold in the test, the IT system will automatically and without interruption allow access to the second phase of the written test, consisting of two open-ended questions. Each question has a time limit of 15 minutes for the response. Answers will be evaluated with a qualitative judgment: insufficient, sufficient, good, and excellent. To pass this phase, students must achieve at least a sufficient in both questions. Oral Test Only students who pass the written test can take the oral test. Exam Schedule The schedule is determined based on the order of registration. The exam as a whole is aimed at assessing the level of knowledge acquired, the overall mastery of the subject, the ability to analyze and synthesize, as well as the command of medical-scientific language.

Texts

- Fisiologia Medica III edizione - (a cura di F. Conti), Ed. Edi-Ermes;
- Fisiologia Medica di Ganong (a cura di KE Barrett et al.), Ed. Piccin;
- Fisiologia Medica - Guyton e Hall, Ed. Elsevier;

System overview. Pressure, flow and resistance. The heart. Anatomy. Coordination of the heartbeat. Excitation sequence. Cardiac action potentials and SA node excitation. The electrocardiogram. Excitation-contraction coupling. Refractory period of the heart.
Mechanical events of the cardiac cycle. Pressures in the circulation and cardiac cavities during a cardiac cycle. Pressures in the pulmonary circulation. Cardiac tones and murmurs. Cardiac output. Heart rate control. Control of cardiac output.
The vascular system. The arteries. Blood pressure. Measuring systemic blood pressure. Arterioles. Local and extrinsic controls. Endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle. Arteriolar control in specific organs. Capillaries. Anatomy of the capillary network. Capillary blood flow velocity. Diffusion through the capillary wall: Exchange of nutrients and end products of metabolism. Mass flow through the capillary wall: Distribution of extracellular fluid. Veins. Determinants of venous pressure The lymphatic system. Lymphatic system.
Integration of cardiovascular function: Regulation of systemic blood pressure. Baroreceptive reflex. Arterial baroreceptors. Medullary cardiovascular centres. Functioning of the arterial baroreceptive reflex. Other baroreceptors. Blood volume and long-term regulation of blood pressure. Haemorrhage and other causes of hypotension. Shock. Hypertension. Heart failure.
Blood and haemostasis. Plasma. Blood cells. Erythrocytes Leucocytes Platelets. Haemostasis: Prevention of blood loss; Formation of a platelet plug Blood Coagulation: Clot formation. Anticoagulant systems.

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