Cardiovascular System

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 6:32 PM

Cardiovascular System is a closed circulatory transport system that transports respiratory gases, nutrients
and excretory products, through the medium of blood to various parts of the body. It consists of pumping
station, the heart and it's channels the blood vessels.

Anatomy of Heart:

→ The human heart is a musculotendinous organ which lies on the left, in the upper part of the chest.
→ A normal hear lies underneath the sternum and the third, fourth and fifth intercostal space on the left side of
the chest

→ The shape of the heart is similar to a pinecone, broad at the superior surface (called the base) and tapering
to the apex.
→ A typical heart is approximately the size of your fist: 12 cm in length, 8 cm wide, and 6 cm in thickness. Given
the size difference between most members of the sexes, the weight of a female heart is approximately
250–300 grams and the weight of a male heart is approximately 300–350 grams.

 Layers of Heart:

The heart consists of three layers:-

1. Pericardium (Outermost): Pericardium forms a bag like structure- the pericardial sac which contains a fluid
called pericardial fluid.

2. Myocardium (Middle): The middle layer is the main stuff of the heart made up of myocytes(cardiac muscle
cells) and fibroblasts (interstitial cells).

3. Endocardium (Innermost): This is the innermost layer of heart.

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 Internal Structures of Heart:

> Heart Chambers:-

→ The heart is divided into four chambers: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.
→ The atria are the two superior chambers of the heart and the ventricles are the two inferior chambers of the
heart. The right side of the heart and the left side of the heart are isolated from each other (each belongs to
a separate circuit - see the Circulation Through the Heart section below).
→ The right and left sides are separated by septa. Between the right and left atria is tissue called the interatrial
septum and between right and left ventricles is tissue called the interventricular septum.

Heart Location Blood flowing into Blood Associated valves

Chambe this chamber flowing out
r of this
chamber
left superior from pulmonary to the left mitral valve (aka left atrioventricular valve;
atrium left side of veins; oxygen-rich ventricle aka bicuspid valve) drains blood from the left
the heart blood atrium when it is open during ventricular diastole
left inferior left from left atrium; to the aorta blood moves into this chamber through the mitral
ventricle side of the oxygen-rich blood valve (aka left atrioventricular valve; aka bicuspid
heart valve) during ventricular diastole; blood moves out
of this chamber through the aortic valve during
ventricular systole
right superior from superior vena to the right tricuspid valve (aka right atrioventricular valve)
atrium right side cava and inferior ventricle drains blood from the right atrium when it is open
of the vena cava; oxygen- during ventricular diastole
heart poor blood
right inferior from right atrium; to the blood moves into this chamber through
ventricle right side oxygen-poor pulmonary the tricuspid valve (aka right atrioventricular
of the blood trunk valve) during ventricular diastole; blood moves out
heart of this chamber through the pulmonary
valve during ventricular systole

> Heart Valves:-

→ There are four valves in the heart: two that separate the atria from the ventricles on both the right and left
sides (atrioventricular [AV] valves), and two that separate the ventricles from their associated arteries
(aortic valve and pulmonary valve).
→ The aortic valve and pulmonary valve are sometimes called semilunar valves since they are composed of
three crescent-shaped cusps. The AV valves are also called the tricuspid valve and the bicuspid valve (aka
the mitral valve); these names describe the number of cusps that make them up (tri= 3 cusps; bi= 2 cusps).
→ Heart valves are either open or they are closed based on whether the heart muscle of the ventricles is
contracting, ventricular systole, or the heart muscle of the ventricles is not contracting, ventricular diastole.
→ Both systole and diastole are equally important for moving blood effectively though the heart and through
the blood circulation circuits.
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Heart Valve Location During During How it Works
ventricula ventricula
r systole r diastole
aortic valve between the left open closed valve is closed unless pressure inside the
ventricle and ventricle pushes it open
the aorta
mitral valve (left between the left closed open valve is open unless pressure inside the
atrioventricular atrium and the ventricle pushes it closed; papillary muscles
[AV] left ventricle and chordae tendineae prevent the valves
valve; bicuspid from flipping open during ventricular systole
valve) (prolapse)
pulmonary valve between the open closed valve is closed unless pressure inside the
right ventricle ventricle pushes it open
and the
pulmonary trunk
tricuspid between the closed open valve is open unless pressure inside the
valve (right right atrium and ventricle pushes it closed; papillary muscles
atrioventricular the left ventricle and chordae tendineae prevent the valves
[AV] valve) from flipping open during ventricular systole
(prolapse)

*EXTRA*
Internal Location Function/Description
Heart
Structure
chordae connecting the "heart strings" aid in holding AV valves closed to prevent valve from flipping
tendineae cusps of AV valves open during ventricular systole
with the papillary
muscles
fossa indentation in the location where a hole used to be during fetal development (foramen ovale);
ovalis right atrium along since fetal lungs are non-functional, the pulmonary circuit of circulation is
the interatrial extraneous and therefore blood is allowed to pass through foramen ovale
septum from the right atrium to the left atrium; a flap closes over foramen ovale
after birth and eventually seals up
interatrial tissue between the separate the right and left atria; keeps oxygen-poor blood on the right side
septum right and left atria of the heart from mixing with oxygen-rich blood on the left side of the heart
interventr tissue between the separate the right and left ventricles; keeps oxygen-poor blood on the right
icular right and left side of the heart from mixing with oxygen-rich blood on the left side of the
septum ventricles heart
papillary muscles on the aid in holding AV valves closed to prevent valve from flipping open during
muscles internal heart wall ventricular systole (prolapse)
connected to
chordae tendineae
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 trabecula ridges along the aid in holding AV valves closed to prevent valve from flipping open during
e carneae inside wall of the ventricular systole (prolapse)
Ventricles

Circulation Through the Heart

→ When the ventricles of the heart contract (ventricular systole), it pumps blood into two different circuits:
the pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit.
→ Pulmonary circulation carries blood from the right side of the heart to the alveoli of the lungs and back to
the left side of the heart, while the systemic circulation carries blood from the left side of the heart to all the
organs and tissues of the body, before returning to the right side of the heart.

 The Pulmonary Circuit:

→ The function of the pulmonary circuit is to oxygenate (add oxygen to) the blood by transferring low-oxygen
blood to the lungs to acquire oxygen. Once oxygenated, blood in the blood vessels of the pulmonary circuit
returns to the heart to complete the circuit.
→ The right side of the heart pumps blood through the systemic circuit. Blood entering the right side of the
heart is returning to the heart from the systemic circuit. This blood has had much of its oxygen depleted
since oxygen is transferred to the cells of the body in the systemic circuit. Blood enters the right side of the
heart through the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava.
1. Blood enters the right atrium by way of the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava.
2. From the right atrium, the blood flows through the tricuspid AV valve into the right ventricle.
3. After the ventricle contracts, the blood flows through the pulmonary semilunar valve and into the
pulmonary arteries.
4. The pulmonary arteries deliver the blood to the lungs where it is enriched with oxygen and exits by way
of the pulmonary veins.
5. The oxygenated blood is delivered to the left atrium by way of the pulmonary veins.

 The Systemic Circuit:

→ The function of the systemic circuit is to carry oxygen-rich blood to the organs and tissues throughout the
body. Blood returning to the heart from the pulmonary circuit enters the systemic circuit in the left atrium.
→ Blood transfers from the left atrium to the left ventricle, and then exits the left ventricle when pressure
forces blood into the aorta. The aorta branches to all the other arteries of the systemic circuit traveling to
the head, thorax, upper limbs, abdominopelvic region, and lower limbs.
→ After oxygen is transferred from the blood in the smallest blood vessels of the systemic circuit (capillaries),
veins return low-oxygen blood back to the heart through the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava to

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 enter the pulmonary circuit.
1. The oxygenated blood is delivered to the left atrium by way of the pulmonary veins.
2. Blood moves through the bicuspid (or mitral) AV valve into the left ventricle.
3. From here the blood is pushed through the systemic semilunar valve (aortic valve) into the aorta and
then out into the body.
4. Oxygen-depleted blood returns to the right atrium by way of the superior vena cava and the inferior
vena cava.

Blood Vessels
Blood circulates all over the body through blood vessels. There are two types of blood vessels: Arteries and
Veins .
→ Arteries are the vessels that carries blood away from the heart to supply it to all parts of the body. The blood
is usually oxygenated except that of the pulmonary arteries which carry deoxygenated blood. The arteries
divide and redivide to form arterioles and further divide into capillaries which are single layered thin vessels
lying in between cells.
→ Veins are the vessels which bring the blood from various parts of the body to pour it into the heart. The
blood is usually deoxygenated except that of the pulmonary veins which carry oxygenated blood. The veins
are formed from smaller veins called venules and venous capillaries.

→ The walls of both arteries and veins have three layers: the tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia.
You can see the three layers for an artery

1. The tunica intima is the inner layer of arteries and veins. It is also the thinnest layer, consisting of a
single layer of endothelial cells surrounded by a thin layer of connective tissues. It reduces friction
between the blood and the inside of the blood vessel walls.

2. The tunica media is the middle layer of arteries and veins. In arteries, this is the thickest layer. It consists
mainly of elastic fibers and connective tissues. In arteries, this is the thickest layer because it also
contains smooth muscle tissues, which control the diameter of the vessels.

3. The tunica externa (also called tunica adventitia) is the outer layer of arteries and veins. It consists of
connective tissue and also contains nerves. In veins, this is the thickest layer. In general, the tunica
externa protects and strengthens vessels and attaches them to surrounding structures.

Arteries Veins Capillaries

1 Direction of blood Away from heart Towards heart From arteries to veins
flow
2 Thickness of the Thick Thin Very thin (one cell thick only)
vessel wall
3 Oxygenated / de- Oxygenated De-oxygenated Both
oxygenated
4 Color Bright red Bluish Mixture
5 Valves No Yes No
6 Pressure High Very low Low
7 Function of the Carry nutrients and Carry waste products away Diffusion of nutrients between
vessels oxygen to tissues from tissues blood and tissues
• For atrial and venous system refer to pg-134 to pg-136 of B.S shah.

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