BMSC309 - Advanced Cardiovascular Physiology

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

BIOL124 - Human Body in Health and Disease 1 or BIOL125 Human Biology 1

Unit rationale, description and aim

Cardiovascular diseases have high prevalence and mortality in both Australia and throughout the world. It is imperative, therefore, that all health care professionals—including biomedical and exercise scientists, physiotherapists, and nutrition scientists—effectively advocate for a healthier lifestyle; promote a range of preventative measures; and manage, develop, and apply new treatment strategies for conditions. Success in these diverse roles, however, requires appreciation of the morphology and function of the cardiovascular system. The first module focusses on the molecular and cellular aspects of cardiac function, including the electrical properties of the heart, excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyocytes, ECG, mechanical properties of cardiac tissue, and control of cardiac function. The second module is devoted to the discussion of the structure and function of the vascular system, including an overview of haemodynamics and the roles and specific features of the various elements of the vascular system. The third module discusses the main aspects of integrated cardiovascular regulation from local to systemic level, the main features of specific areas in the circulatory system (e.g., coronary, cerebral, pulmonary, and splanchnic circulation), and the most important cardiovascular changes accompanying physical exercise. When discussing cardiovascular function, this unit offers a clinically-oriented approach and links the delivered content to pathology, molecular medicine, and current biomedical research. This unit builds on previous units that offered the foundations of cardiovascular function with the aim to provide students with an advanced understanding of cardiovascular physiology.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Discuss the molecular and cellular basis of the unique electrical and mechanical properties of the heart and explain how these properties are involved in cardiovascular regulation (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9)

LO2 - Explain the gross and microscopic organisation as well as the specific, cellular- and molecular-level characteristics of the heart and blood vessels, and discuss the functional consequences of these features (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9)

LO3 - Compare and contrast the main elements of local and systemic control of blood flow, explain their significance in maintaining homeostasis, and discuss pathologies associated with inadequate maintenance and/or control of blood flow (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9)

LO4 - Explain the distinguishing features of coronary, cerebral, pulmonary, splanchnic, renal, cutaneous, and skeletal muscle circulation and discuss their contribution to the redistribution of circulation during physical exercise (GA4, GA5, GA8)

LO5 - Demonstrate ability to communicate cardiovascular physiology-related information in both written and oral forms (GA4, GA8, GA9).

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include:

• Cardiac and smooth muscle—from molecules to organs
• Electrical properties of and excitation contraction coupling in the heart
• ECG—types of ECG recordings, the origin of ECG, and information that can be derived from ECG under physiological and pathological conditions
• Homo- and heterometric regulation of the cardiac output
• Haemodynamics, Hagen-Poiseuille law, Reynolds number, and vascular compliance
• Components of the vascular tone and their significance in controlling blood flow and blood pressure
• Cardiovascular reflexes (e.g., Bainbridge, Lovén, Goltz, Cushing, chemo- and baroreceptor reflex) and humoral regulation of circulation including the role of endothelium
• Characteristics of coronary, cerebral, pulmonary, splanchnic, cutaneous, and skeletal muscle blood flow
• Molecular aspects of cardiovascular adaptation during exercise

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Advanced Cardiovascular Physiology uses active learning to help students understand the organisation and complex function of the cardiovascular system.

Students are provided with lectures, where their questions, active participation, and feedback are encouraged. Lectures aim at helping students acquire the fundamentals of the physiological functions, morphological basis, and significance of all major phenomena taught.

Students are also encouraged to attend and to participate in weekly workshops. These workshops serve to both assimilate and apply the knowledge relevant to the given week’s topic learning objectives. The different types of learning activities provide opportunities for discussion of several challenging concepts, relating morphology to function, problem-based learning, case studies, group work, and peer learning. In short, workshops encourage and support students to review, recall, and reinforce key concepts.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures is used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to allow students to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. There are ongoing formative assessments to provide feedback about students’ progress and learning and three summative assessments associated with the unit.

Summative assessments

Assignment 1 is a quiz that has two parts (part A and part B). These quizzes assess students’ factual knowledge, understanding of the learning material, and critical thinking skills.

Assignment 2 requires students to prepare a vodcast presentation. This assessment task encourages students to reflect on the learning material, to utilize their advanced critical thinking skills, to take advantage of their creativity, and to showcase their oral communication skills as well as their ability to search, access, and critically evaluate scientific information.

Assignment 3 is the final written assessment task, where students submit a worksheet/case study. This assessment task allows students to demonstrate advanced critical and written communication skills and reflect on the learning material of the entire unit.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Boron W. F., Boulpaep E. L. (2016). Medical Physiology (3rd ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323427968.

Hall J. E., Hall M. E. (2020). Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (14th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323597128.

Herlihy, B. (2013) The Human Body in Health and Illness, 5th edition, Elsevier, ISBN 9781455772346.

Sherwood, L. (2010) Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems, 7th edition, Cengage Learning, ISBN 9780495391845.

Silverthorn D. U. (2018). Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (8th ed.). Pearson. ISBN 9781292259543.

West J. B., Taylor N. B. (2011). Best and Taylor's Physiological Basis of Medical Practice (13th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9788184731927.