Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular System
 A closed system of the heart and
blood vessels.
 The heart pumps blood
 Blood vessels allow blood
to circulate to all parts of
the body.
 The functions of the
cardiovascular system:
 To deliver oxygen and
nutrients to cells and
tissues.
 To remove carbon dioxide
and other waste products
from cells and tissues.
The Heart
 LOCATION:
 Thorax between the lungs
in the inferior mediastinum.
 Orientation
 Pointed apex directed
toward left hip.
 Base points toward right
shoulder.
 About the size of your fist.
The Heart: Coverings The Heart: Heart Wall
 Pericardium- a double-walled sac  3 Layers
 Fibrous pericardium is  Epicardium
loose and superficial - Outside layer.
 Serous membrane is deep - This layer is the
to the fibrous pericardium visceral
and composed of two pericardium.
layers. - Connective tissue
layer.
2 layers:
 Myocardium
o Visceral pericardium - Middle layer.
- Next to the heart - Mostly cardiac
- Also known as muscle.
epicardium.  Endocardium
o Parietal pericardium - Inner layer
- Outside layer that - Endothelium
lines the inner
surface of the
fibrous pericardium.
 Serous fluid fills the space
between the layers of
pericardium.
The Heart: Chambers lungs and back to the left
side of the heart.
 Right and Left side act as
separate pumps.
 Four chambers:
 Atria
o Receiving chambers
- Right & Left Atrium
 Ventricles
o Discharging chambers
- Right & Left
Ventricle.

The Heart: Valves

 Allow blood to flow in only one
direction to prevent backflow.
The Heart: Septa  Four Valves
 Atrioventricular Valves
 Interventricular septum
(AV)
 Separates the two
- Between atria and
ventricles.
ventricles.
 Interatrial septum
o Bicuspid (mitral) valve –
 Separates the two atria.
left side of the heart.
The Heart’s Role in Blood Circulation o Tricuspid valve- right
side of the heart.
 Systemic circulation
 Semilunar Valves
 Blood flows from the left - Between ventricle
side of the heart through and artery.
the body tissues and back o Pulmonary semilunar
to the right of the heart. valve
 Pulmonary circulation o Aortic semilunar valve
 Blood flows from the right
side of the heart to the
 AV Valves Cardiac Circulation
 Anchored in place by
 Blood in the heart chambers does
chordae tendineae (“heart
not nourish the myocardium.
strings”)
 The heart has its own nourishing
 Open during heart
circulatory system consisting of
relaxation and closed
 Coronary arteries- branch
during ventricular
from the aorta to supply the
contraction.
heart muscle with
 Semilunar Valves
oxygenated blood.
 Closed during heart
relaxation but open during
 Cardiac Veins- drain the
ventricular contraction.
myocardium of blood.
 Notice these valves operate
opposite of one another to force a
one-way path of blood through the
 Coronary sinus- a large
heart.
vein on the posterior of the
heart, receives blood from
cardiac veins.
 Blood empties into the right atrium
via the coronary sinus.
The Heart: Associated Great Vessels The Heart: Conduction System
 Arteries  Intrinsic conduction system (nodal
 Aorta system).
- Leaves left ventricle  Heart muscle cells
 Pulmonary arteries contract, without nerve
- Leave right ventricle impulses, in a regular,
 Veins continuous way.
 Superior and Inferior vena  Special tissue sets the pace
cava  Sinoatrial node= SA node
- Enter right atrium (pacemaker”), is in the right
 Pulmonary veins (4) atrium.
- Enter left atrium  Atrioventricular node= AV
node, is at the junction of
Blood Flow through the Heart the atria and ventricles.
 Oxygen is picked up and carbon  Atrioventricular bundle=
dioxide is dropped off by blood in AV bundle (bundle of His),
the lungs. is in the interventricular.
 Oxygen-rich blood returns to the  Bundle branches are in the
heart through the four pulmonary interventricular septum
veins.  Purkinje fibers spread
 Blood enters the left atrium and within the ventricle.
travels through the bicuspid valve
into the left ventricle.
 From the left ventricle, blood
leaves the heart via the aortic
semilunar valve and aorta.

Heart Contractions
 Contraction is initiated by the
sinoatrial node (SA node)
 Sequential stimulation occurs at
other autorhythmic cells.
 Force cardiac muscle
depolarization in one direction-
from atria to ventricles.
 Once SA node starts the  Tachycardia- rapid heart
heartbeat. rate over 100 beats per
 Impulse spreads to the AV minute.
node.  Bradycardia- slow heart
 Then the atria contract. rate less than 60 beats per
 At the AV node, the impulse minutes.
passes through the AV bundle,
branches, and Purkinje fibers.
 Blood is ejected from the The Heart: Cardiac Cycle & Heart
ventricles to the aorta and Sounds
pulmonary trunk as the ventricles
 Atria contract simultaneously
contract.
 Atria relax, then ventricles
contract
 Systole = contraction
 Diastole = relaxation

 Cardiac cycle- events of one

complete heartbeat.

 Mid-to-late diastole
- Pressure in heart is
low
- Blood flows from
passively into the
atria and into
ventricles
 Homeostatic imbalance - Semilunar valves
are closed
 Heart block- damaged AV
- Atrioventricular
node releases them form
valves are open
control of the SA node; - Atria contract and
results is in a slower heart force blood into
rate as ventricles contract ventricles.
at their own rate.  Ventricular Systole
- Blood pressure
 Ischemia- lack of adequate builds before
oxygen supply to heart ventricle contracts
muscle. - Atrioventricular
valves close causes
first heart sound,
“lub”
 Fibrillation- a rapid,
- Semilunar valves
uncoordinated shuddering
open as blood
of the heart muscle.
 pushes against
them
- Blood travels out of
the ventricles
through pulmonary
trunk and aorta
- Atria are relaxed

 Early Diastole
- At the end of
systole, all four
valves are briefly
closed at the same
time.
o Second heart
sound is The Heart: Cardiac Output
heard as
 Cardiac Output (CO)
semilunar
valves close,  Amount of blood pumped
causing by each side (L& R
“dup” sound. ventricle) of the heart in
- Atria finish refilling one minute
as pressure in the  Stroke volume (SV)
heart drops  Volume of blood pumped
- Ventricular pressure by each ventricle in one
is low contraction (each
- Atrioventricular heartbeat)
valves open.
 Usually remains relatively
constant
 About 70 mL of blood is
pumped out of the left
ventricle with each
heartbeat
 Heart rate (HR)
 Typically 75 beats per
minute
 CO = HR  SV
 CO = HR (75 beats/min)  SV (70
mL/beat)
 CO = 5250 mL/min
 Starling’s law of the heart—the
more the cardiac muscle is
stretched, the stronger the
contraction
  Changing heart rate is the most Blood Vessels: The vascular System
common way to change cardiac
 Transport blood to the tissues and
output
back
 Carry blood away from the
heart
The Heart: Regulation of heart Rate
- Arteries
 Increased heart rate - Arterioles
 Sympathetic nervous  Exchanges between tissues and
system- part ng autonomic blood
NS  Capillary beds Return
- Crisis blood toward the heart
- Low blood pressure  Venules
 Hormones  Veins
- Epinephrine
- Thyroxine
 Exercise
 Decreased blood volume
 Decreased heart rate
 Parasympathetic nervous
system
 High blood pressure or
blood volume
 Decreased venous return

Blood Vessels: Microscopic Anatomy

 Three layers (tunics)
 Tunic intima
- Endothelium
 Tunic media
- Smooth muscle
- Controlled by
sympathetic
nervous system
 Tunic externa
- Mostly fibrous
connective tissue
  Skeletal muscle “milks”
blood in veins toward the
heart

Structural Differences Among Blood

Vessels
 Arteries have a thicker tunica
media than veins
 Capillaries are only one cell layer
(tunica intima) to allow for
exchanges between blood and
tissue
 Veins have a thinner tunica media
than arteries
 Veins also have valves to Movement of Blood through Vessels
prevent backflow of blood  Most arterial blood is pumped by
 Lumen of veins are larger the heart
than arteries  Veins use the milking action of
Venous Aids for the Return of Blood to muscles to help move blood
the Heart Capillary Beds
 Veins:  Capillary beds consist of two types
 Have a thinner tunica of vessels
media  Vascular shunt—vessel
 Operate under low directly connecting an
pressure arteriole to a venule
 Have a larger lumen than  True capillaries—
arteries exchange vessels
 To assist in the movement of - Oxygen and
blood back to the heart: nutrients cross to
 Larger veins have valves to cells
prevent backflow - Carbon dioxide and
metabolic waste
 products cross into  Abdominal aorta—passes
blood. through the diaphragm into
the abdominopelvic cavity.
 Arterial branches of the ascending
aorta
 Right and left coronary
arteries serve the heart

 Arterial branches of the aortia arch

(BCS)
 Brachiocephalic trunk splits
into the
- Right common
carotid artery
- Right subclavian
Major Arteries of System Circulation artery
 Left common carotid artery
 Aorta
splits into the
 Largest artery in the body - Left internal and
 Leaves from the left external carotid
ventricle of the heart arteries
 Regions  Left subclavian artery
- Ascending aorta— branches into the
leaves the left - Vertebral artery
ventricle - In the axilla, the
- Aortic arch—arches subclavian artery
to the left becomes the axillary
- Thoracic aorta— artery  brachial
travels downward artery  radial and
through the thorax ulnar arteries
 Arterial branches of the thoracic  Lumbar arteries serve
aorta muscles of the abdomen
 Intercostal arteries supply and trunk
the muscles of the thorax  Arterial branches of the abdominal
wall aorta
 Other branches of the  Inferior mesenteric artery
thoracic aorta supply the serves the second half of
- Lungs (bronchial the large intestine
arteries)  Left and right common iliac
- Esophagus arteries are the final
(esophageal branches of the aorta
arteries) - Internal iliac arteries
- Diaphragm (phrenic serve the pelvic
arteries) organs
 Arterial branches of the abdominal - External iliac
aorta arteries enter the
 Celiac trunk is the first thigh  femoral
branch of the abdominal artery  popliteal
aorta. Three branches are artery  anterior
- Left gastric artery and posterior tibial
(stomach) arteries
- Splenic artery
(spleen)
- Common hepatic
artery (liver)
 Superior mesenteric artery
supplies most of the small
intestine and first half of the
large intestine
 Arterial branches of the abdominal
aorta
 Left and right renal arteries
(kidney)
 Left and right gonadal
arteries
- Ovarian arteries in
females serve the
ovaries
- Testicular arteries in
males serve the
testes
Major Veins of Systemic Circulation Subclavian vein receives
- Venous blood from
 Superior and inferior vena cava
the arm via the
enter the right atrium of the heart
axillary vein
 Superior vena cava drains
- Venous blood from
the head and arms
skin and muscles
 Inferior vena cava drains
via external jugular
the lower body vein
 Vertebral vein drains the
posterior part of the head
 Internal jugular vein drains
the dural sinuses of the
brain
 Left and right
brachiocephalic veins
receive venous blood from
the
- Subclavian veins
- Vertebral veins
- Internal jugular
veins
 Brachiocephalic veins join
to form the superior vena
 Veins draining into the superior cava  right atrium of heart
vena cava  Azygous vein drains the
 Radial and ulnar veins  thorax
brachial vein  axillary  Veins draining into the inferior
vein vena cava
 These veins drain the arms  Anterior and posterior tibial
 Cephalic vein drains the veins and fibial veins drain
lateral aspect of the arm the legs
and empties into the  Posterior tibial vein 
axillary vein popliteal vein  femoral
 Basilic vein drains the vein  external iliac vein
medial aspect of the arm  Great saphenous veins
and empties into the (longest veins of the body)
brachial vein receive superficial
 Basilic and cephalic veins drainage of the legs
are jointed at the median  Each common iliac vein
cubital vein (elbow area). (left and right) is formed by
the union of the internal
and external iliac vein on its
own side
 Right gonadal vein drains Arterial Supply of the Brain
the right ovary in females
 Internal carotid arteries divide into
and right testicle in males
 Left gonadal vein empties
Anterior and middle
into the left renal vein
cerebral arteries
 Left and right renal veins
 These arteries supply most
drain the kidneys
of the cerebrum
 Hepatic portal vein drains
 Vertebral arteries join once within
the digestive organs and
the skull to form the basilar artery
travels through the liver
 Basilar artery serves the
before it enters systemic
brain stem and cerebellum
circulation
 Posterior cerebral arteries form
 Left and right hepatic veins
from the division of the basilar
drain the liver
artery
 These arteries supply the
posterior cerebrum
Circle of Willis
 Anterior and posterior blood
supplies are united by small
communicating arterial branches
 Result—complete circle of
connecting blood vessels called
cerebral arterial circle or circle of
Willis
 Fetal Circulation ligamentum arteriosum at
 Fetus receives exchanges of birth)
gases, nutrients, and wastes
through the placenta
 Umbilical cord contains three
vessels
 Umbilical vein—carries
blood rich in nutrients and
oxygen to the fetus
 Umbilical arteries (2)—
carry carbon dioxide and
debris-laden blood from
fetus to placenta

Hepatic Portal Circulation

 Veins of hepatic portal circulation
drain
 Digestive organs
 Spleen
 Pancreas
 Hepatic portal vein carries this
blood to the liver
 Liver helps maintain proper
glucose, fat, and protein
concentrations in blood
 Major vessels of hepatic portal
circulation
 Blood flow bypasses the liver
 Inferior and superior
through the ductus venosus and
mesenteric veins
enters the inferior vena cava 
 Splenic vein
right atrium of heart
 Left gastric vein
 Blood flow bypasses the lungs
 Blood entering right atrium
is shunted directly into the
left atrium through the
foramen ovale
 Ductus arteriosus connects
the aorta and pulmonary
trunk (becomes
 Blood Pressure
 Measurements by health
professionals are made on the
pressure in large arteries
 Systolic—pressure at the
peak of ventricular
contraction sa taas
 Diastolic—pressure when
ventricles relax baba
 Write systolic pressure first
and diastolic last (120/80
Pulse mm Hg) milimiter mercury
 Pressure in blood vessels
 Pulse
decreases as distance from the
 Pressure wave of blood
heart increases
 Monitored at “pressure points” in
arteries where pulse is easily
palpated
 Pulse averages 70 to 76 beats per
minute
at rest
 exercise, body position,
emotional state
 CO cardiac output is the
amount of blood pumped
out of the left ventricle per
minute
 PR is peripheral
resistance, or the amount
of friction blood encounters
as it flows through vessels
- Narrowing of blood
vessels and
increased blood
volume increases
PR
 BP = CO  PR
 Neural factors
 Dictated by Autonomic
nervous system
adjustments (sympathetic
division)
 Renal factors
 Regulation by altering
blood volume
 Renin—hormonal control
 Temperature
 Heat has a vasodilating
effect
 Cold has a
vasoconstricting effect
 Chemicals
 Various substances can
cause increases or
decreases
 Diet

Blood Pressure: Effects of Factors

 BP is blood pressure
 BP is affected by age,
weight, time of day,
  Some capillaries have gaps
(intercellular clefts)
 Plasma membrane not
joined by tight junctions
 Fenestrations (pores) of some
capillaries

Variations in Blood Pressure

 Normal human range is variable
 Normal
- 140 to 110 mm Hg
systolic
- 80 to 75 mm Hg
diastolic
 Hypotension
- Low systolic (below
110 mm Hg) Fluid Movements at Capillary Beds
- Often associated
 Blood pressure forces fluid and
with illness
solutes out of capillaries
 Hypertension
 Osmotic pressure draws fluid into
- High systolic (above
capillaries
140 mm Hg)
 Blood pressure is higher than
- Can be dangerous if
osmotic pressure at the arterial
it is chronic
end of the capillary bed
Capillary Exchange  Blood pressure is lower than
osmotic pressure at the venous
 Substances exchanged due to
end of the capillary bed
concentration gradients
 Oxygen and nutrients leave
the blood
 Carbon dioxide and other
wastes leave the cells
Capillary Exchange: Mechanisms
 Direct diffusion across plasma
membranes
 Endocytosis or exocytosis
  Progressive
atherosclerosis
 Loss of elasticity of vessels
leads to hypertension
 Coronary artery disease
results from vessels filled
with fatty, calcified deposits

Developmental Aspects of
the Cardiovascular System
 A simple “tube heart” develops in
the embryo and pumps by the
fourth week
 The heart becomes a four-
chambered organ by the end of
seven weeks
 Few structural changes occur
after the seventh week
 Aging problems associated with
the cardiovascular system include
 Venous valves weaken
 Varicose veins