CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Objectives;
By the end of the unit, the student should be able to:
Name components of circulatory system
Explain systemic and pulmonary circulation
Describe structure and function of blood
Describe structure and function of the heart
Describe structure and function of blood vessels
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Cardiovascular system consists of
Cardio -Heart; which pumps blood and ensures constant blood supply in body
Vascular- Blood vessels; which forms a lengthy network through which blood flows
Blood transports nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and removes carbon dioxide
and waste products from the tissues.
DIVISIONS OF CIRCULATION
Blood flows through two divisions of circulatory system:
1. Systemic circulation 2. Pulmonary circulation
SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION
Systemic circulation is otherwise known as greater circulation.
Blood pumped from left ventricle passes through a series of blood vessels, arterial system
and reaches the tissues.
Exchange of various substances between blood and the tissues occurs at the capillaries.
After exchange of materials, blood enters the venous system and returns to right atrium of
the heart.
From right atrium, blood enters the right ventricle. Thus, through systemic circulation,
oxygenated blood is supplied from heart to the tissues and venous blood returns to the
heart from tissues.
PULMONARY CIRCULATION
Pulmonary circulation is otherwise called lesser circulation.
Blood is pumped from right ventricle to lungs through pulmonary artery. Exchange of gases
occurs between blood and alveoli of the lungs at pulmonary capillaries. Oxygenated blood
returns to left atrium through the pulmonary veins. Thus, left side of the heart contains
oxygenated or arterial blood and the right side of the heart contains deoxygenated or
venous blood.
BLOOD VESSELS
Learning outcomes:
After studying this section, you should be able to :
describe the structures and functions of arteries veins and capillaries
explain the relationship between the different types of blood vessel
indicate the main factors controlling blood vessel diameter
Three different types of blood vessels
Arteries
Capillaries
Veins
Arteries>Arterioles>Capillaries>Venules>Veins
Arteries and arterioles
These blood vessels transport blood away from the heart. They vary considerably in size and
their walls consist of three layers of tissue:
• tunica adventitia or outer layer of fibrous tissue
• tunica media or middle layer of smooth muscle and elastic tissue
•tunica intima or inner lining of squamous epithelium called endothelium.
Diagram describing structure of an artery.
Arteries have thicker walls than veins to withstand the high pressure of arterial blood.
CAPILLARIES
The smallest arterioles break up into a number of minute vessels called capillaries. Capillary
walls consist of a single layer of endothelial cells sitting on a very thin basement membrane,
through which water and other small molecules like oxugen,carbon dioxide, glucose and
amino acids.
Capillary refill time
When an area of skin is pressed firmly with a finger, it turns white (blanches) because the
blood in the capillaries under the finger has been squeezed out. Normally it should take less
than two seconds for the capillaries to refill once the finger is removed, and for the skin to
turn pink again. Although the test may produce unreliable results, particularly in adults, its
use in children can be useful and a prolonged capillary refill time suggests poor perfusion or
dehydration.
Veins and venules
Veins return blood at low pressure to the heart. The walls of the veins are thinner than
arteries but have the same three layers of tissue .
They are thinner because there is less muscle and elastic tissue in the tunica media, as veins
carry blood at a lower pressure than arteries.
When cut, the veins collapse while the thicker walled arteries remain open. When an artery
is cut blood spurts at high pressure while a slower, steady flow of blood escapes from a vein.
Some veins possess valves, which prevent backflow of blood, ensuring that it flows towards
the heart.
Valves are abundant in the veins of the limbs, especially the lower limbs where blood must
travel a considerable distance against gravity when the individual is standing. They are
absent in very small and very large veins in the thorax and abdomen.
Valves are assisted in maintaining one-way flow by skeletal muscles surrounding the veins
The smallest veins are called venules.
THE HEART
The heart is a roughly cone shaped hollow muscular organ. It is about 10 cm long and is
about the size of the owner’s fist. It weighs about 225g in women and is heavier in men
{about 310g}
Position
The heart lies in the thoracic cavity , in the mediastinum (the space between the lungs). t lies
obliquely, a little more to the left than the right, and presents a base above, and an apex
below. The apex is about 9 cm to the left of the midline at the level of the 5TH intercostal
space, i.e. a little below the nipple and slightly nearer the midline. The base e tends to the
level of the 2nd rib.
Organs associated with the heart
Inferiorly – the apex rests on the central tendon of the diaphragm
Superiorly – the great blood vessels, i.e. the aorta, superior vena cava, pulmonary artery and
pulmonary veins
Posteriorly – the oesophagus, trachea, left and right bronchus, descending aorta, inferior
vena cava and thoracic vertebrae
Laterally – the lungs – the left lung overlaps the left side of the heart
Anteriorly – the sternum, ribs and intercostal muscles.
The location of the heart in the thorax
STRUCTURE OF THE HEART
The heart wall
The heart wall is composed of three layers of tissue : pericardium, myocardium and
endocardium.
PERICARDIUM
The pericardium is the outermost layer and is made up of two sacs. The outer sac (the
fibrous pericardium) consists of fibrous tissue and the inner (the serous pericardium) of a
continuous double layer of serous membrane.
The outer layer of the serous pericardium, the parietal pericardium, lines the fibrous
pericardium. The inner layer, the visceral pericardium, which is continuous with the parietal
pericardium, is adherent to the heart muscle.
Pericardium=Fibrous pericardium and serous pericardium
Serous pericardium=Parietal pericardium and vicseral pericadium
Between parietal pericardium and visceral pericardium is the fluid pericadial fluid that
acts as a lubricant and shock absorber thus procts the heart.
MYOCARDIUM
The myocardium is composed of specialised cardiac muscle found only in the heart .
It is striated, like skeletal muscle, but is not under voluntary control.
ENDOCARDIUM
This lines the chambers and valves of the heart. t is a thin, smooth membrane to ensure
smooth flow of blood through the heart. t consists of flattened epithelial cells, and it is
continuous with the endothelium lining the blood vessels.
The human heart
Outside of the heart
