*Read: Not real poetry.

A rhyming take on a study guide. Not sure how much I learnt from this, besides the fact that 'ventricle' does *not* rhyme with anything in existence. Ever. 

-Script-
Study Guide: Unit... something
Welcome reader, to my study guide
I hope you'll find it's quite the ride;
I've decided a poem is well within reason
For an assignment in this festive season.

(And this isn't just because you wrote that bit
in the test we had oh-so-very recently writ')


To start:
the heart!
The centre of us, the centre of this list
And hopefully the centre of my gist.

Divided up into four different sections
but still together in two different collections
One side for gathering and sending
To the lungs for fresh O2 lending.
Then back into the heart, but the other side
and out into the body, the rhythm does slide.

Our left and right atria, the two sides from before
Have several tubes, within which blood store(s)
The Vena Clava (sup/inferior) start the whole cardiac ordeal
Getting blood from the body and entering the R.A cordial
From there the blood flows into the ventricle (right)
Forced through the AV-valve, closing up again tight
No time to spare, blood is shot into the Pulmonary Trunk
And off to the lungs, to get back that O2 sprunk.
(But not before the semi-lunar valves close with a thunk)

A short time in the lungs, and they're ready to go
Through the pulmonary veins they speedily blow. 
The Left Atria beckons them back inside
But it was a ruse, too late to be spied.
Off into the left ventricle they've been sent,
The left AV valve closing their only vent.
Another good shove, and they're off once again
Through the Aorta, that fast travelling lane
The semi-lunar valves holding fast behind,
Off to the legs, arms, heart and mind.

Of course, all this is controlled by our very head
but not always is it, by the nose lead.
Our heart can beat fine, left to it's devices
But that would be the cause of quite the crises.



It starts with a signal from the SA Node
which, to another, is a clear code
To contract the atria, and start the heart beat,
But also for the AV Node to, the signal, repeat.
It sends it off, to the AV bundle so long
Which in turn carries it with nary a song.
But once it reaches the Purkinje Fibres further along
It smashes the ventricle 'contract-now-please' gong.
This whole process is called 'intrinsic control'
And along those steps, does the cardiac cycle roll.

Extrinsic control, is just another step more
But even then, far from war.
The mind can get along just fine
with the node and bundle line
They send acetylcholine to “tell 'em wots' wot”
Which slows on down that SA/NA node spot.
But that's just if it wants it to slow down;
there are many ways to get that heart woun(d)
Namely accelerator nerves releasing a solution
Of norepinepherine to get rid of that slow pollution.


“But what, then, of our arteries”, you definitely don't cry,
“They, among veins and capillaries should vie
For our attention, and yours too for your study guide”

You're right, and I'll get on that ASAP
Lest I be marked wrong, for talking belatedly.

Our arteries are simple, but thick headed and walled
Full of blood and O2, away from the heart called.
Arterioles are their little ones, with much less worry
One to five millimetres, to their five to twenty jury.

Veins are their counterpart; not thick but not thin
Carrying blood (and not all that much O2), away from the bodies loud din.
The heart is their destination, to be filled up and pushed out
And back through the body, whatever pleasurable route.
Valves block backwards passage, but don't think it bad
For without them, no flow of blood would be had.

Capillaries are something special, I'll tell you what,
Thin as can be, with less than a millimetre gut.
They live everywhere, they connect everything
For to the two other vessels, songs of each other it sings.
Connecting the two, helping pass all sorts of blood
It is, of course, the epitome of being a  'bud'

What's coming up here now, is a bit of a word soup:
All the veins, arteries and other bio-word goop.
To start, then, because to not would cause mental strains
So off then, to the subclavian arteries and veins!
Which I don't seem to actually have any notes about
So, the carotid arteries, will I words spout.
Leading to the head, but also a source
*tsk* Of those hidden subclavian arteries of course!
The Jugular vein goes there too, but different yet
For it doesn't go there, so much as return with blood met.
Mesenteric arteries goes from side to intestine (so small)
And hepatic portal vein from there to liver and bladder gall.
The hepatic vein then carries that blood all the way back
To the heart for another nutrient O2 attack.
The renal artery carries blood to the liver
And the renal vein, to the heart then deliver.
But then, they aren't going straight to the heart
The Iliac vein/artery here plays it's part.
Getting blood to the branching places,
letting them complete their looping races.
The aorta connects the heart and the Iliac artery
And with it, shares in a bit of vessel camaraderie.
The vena cava (superior and inferior) plays it's part quite the same
Connecting blood vessel to heart, is it's sole game, name, and fame.
But there one more, less known heart player
Pulmonary veins are a heart to lungs conveyer.

So that's it for blood containment, and the names they hold
But now I'd like to have the story of blood pressure told;
When the heart pushes out, that's the first number
And number two is when ventricles are encumber
But just what does that number mean?
Millimetres of mercury seen!

Note: That first number is systolic, to be defined:
the difference in naming had to be outlined.
The other is diastolic, and that is to be eased
Unlike systolic, wherein ventricles are squeezed.

Of course, arteries and such can make quite the change
Wherever they please in our massive blood pressure range.
A squeeze here, a relaxation there
And the level is beyond a doctors dare.

Suppose that something in our vessels goes wrong
and fatty materials begin to build up before long.
You're looking at Atherosclerosis, and it isn't pretty.
It may be that you'll go in for angioplasty.

They'll blow up a balloon at the source of the stoppage
And then blow it up even more, so as to assuage
The very vein or artery that feels so struck
And crush it aside, with any luck.

Sometimes it's more serious, like a heart attack or stroke
Maybe some fats are blocking something, and so broke
Your hearts muscle or brains needing demands.
The fact is, there aren't many reprimands;
The ensuing chaos of frantic heart or head rush
is enough for a bad eaters habits to crush.

Sometimes they can make due and go around
that problemous heart vessel mound.
That'd be a coronary bypass operation, in fact
A vessel from the leg, onto your heart hack'd

So, we're getting close to finishing this project
But a few more sections I've got to inject.

The component of blood, and all it's made from
Can be called: plamsa vs cell, 45-55 sum.
Plamsa being made of nutrients, O2 and waste
and blood RB, and 'cytes for intruders chase. 

But blood is particular, and picky at that
It won't take another with a different looking hat.
If it wears an AB, he'll be a jovial fellow
For to A, B, and hatless, he'll be mellow.

As soon as you start talking about A or B
Prepare for anything but itself (and none) to see
To be beaten around, shoved around, and simply rejected
And either the blood or the body's functions ejected.

Zero is a curious case however,
Having faced refusal never,
But refusing others forever.

A couple last notes, before I call it a night
In, the length of this assignments, light.

The lub comes from the closing valves between atria and ventricle sounding off
While the dup is the semi-lunar valves closing with a soft 'doff'.
And while the blood flows around
Never does it touch open air or ground.
Making a closed circulatory system of us
But really now, this poem ending mus'

That was a terrible line, honestly now,
And the more this goes on, the deeper my brow;
I can't keep it going, I'm afraid it really must end
This poems pretty draining, and I've no more energy to spend.
So goodnight, then, Dr. T
Tee... uh... Gee.. Golly gee? Shoot.

SgtSquid