Anatomy and Physiology

of the
CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM
 Heart
- Hollow muscular organ about the size of a
closed fist which weighs approximately 300
grams
- Located at the center of the thorax, where
it occupies the space between the lungs
(mediastinum)
- Lies obliquely where the base is at the
upper right and the apex is at the lower left
LAYERS OF THE HEART
1. Endocardium – inner layer consists of
endothelial tissues that lines the inside of
the heart and valves
2. Myocardium – middle layer that forms most
of the heart wall. It is composed of striated
involuntary muscle fibers that cause the
heart to contract
3. Epicardium – outer layer made up of
squamous epithelial cells overlying
connective tissues
 PERICARDIUM
- Fibrous sac that surrounds the heart and the
roots of the great vessels
- Consists of two layers
1.Parietal Pericardium
2.Visceral Pericardium
 CHAMBERS OF THE HEART:
ATRIA – the upper collecting chambers
separated by the inter-atrial septum; receives
blood returning to the heart and pumps blood
into the ventricles
a. Right atrium – receives
unoxygenated blood from
superior and inferior vena
cava and coronary sinus
b. Left atrium – receives
oxygenated blood from the
lungs via the four pulmonary
veins
VENTRICLES – the inferior pumping
chambers of the heart separated by
interventricular septum; receives blood from
the atria and pumps blood into the
circulation (pulmonary and systemic)
a. Right ventricle – receives
unoxygenated blood from right atrium
and ejects blood into the lungs for
oxygenation
b. Left ventricle – receives oxygenated
blood from left atrium and ejects blood
into the systemic circulation
 VALVES OF THE HEART:
- Permits unidirectional flow of blood in the
heart and allows forward flow and prevents
backward flow of blood.

1. ATRIOVENTRICULAR VALVES (AV

VALVES)
- Separates the atria from the ventricles and
prevents backflow of blood from the
ventricles
a. Mitral (Bicuspid) valve
b. Tricuspid valve
2. SEMILUNAR VALVES (SL VALVES)
- Prevents backflow of blood from pulmonary
arteries and aorta back into the ventricles
a. Pulmonic valve
b. Aortic valve
Vascular System
Aorta
↓
Systemic Arteries
↓
Arterioles
↓
Capillaries
↓
Venules
↓
Veins
Coronary Arteries
- Oxygenates and nourishes the heart especially
the myocardium;
- arises at the beginning of the aorta just above the
aortic valve
2 Major Coronary Arteries

Right Coronary Artery Left Coronary Artery

- Supplies blood to most
areas of the right side of
the heart

Left Anterior Descending Artery

- Supplies blood to the
septum and anterior
Left Circumflex Artery
part of the heart - Supplies blood to the
Left Ventricle
Coronary Vein
- collects unoxygenated blood from the
myocardium and drains it into the Coronary
Sinus.
Great Vessels of the Heart:
1. Superior and Inferior Vena Cava
2. Pulmonary Arteries
3. Pulmonary Veins
4. Aorta
 CONDUCTION SYSTEM OF THE HEART
- controlled by the heart itself
SA Node

AV Node

Bundle of His

Bundle Branches

Purkinje Fibers
Properties of Cardiac Conduction
1.Automaticity
2.Excitability
3.Conductivity
4.Contractility
5.Refractoriness
Repolarization – occurs when the cardiac cells
return to its baseline or resting state
 
Depolarization – rapid reversal of membrane
potential or electrical activation of the cell caused
by the influx of sodium into the cell while
potassium exits the cell
CARDIAC CYCLE
- Refers to one complete cycle of the heart’s
contraction and relaxation

Systole – portion of the cardiac cycle when the

ventricles depolarize and contract to pump blood into
the pulmonary and systemic circulation
• Atrial Systole
• Ventricular Systole
 
Diastole – portion of the cardiac cycle when the
ventricles repolarize and refill with blood
• Ventricular Diastole
❖ Cardiac Output – amount of blood (in liters)
ejected by each ventricle in every minute

CO = Heart Rate x Stroke Volume

⮚ Heart Rate = number of complete cardiac

cycles per minute (Ave. = 75 beats/min)

⮚ Stroke Volume – volume of blood ejected in

each ventricle per heartbeat (Ave – 70
mL/beat)
Starling’s Law of Heart – the further the heart is
stretched, the stronger it springs back to normal

Factors that Influence Stroke Volume

1. Preload
2. Afterload
3. Contractility
END