Cardiovascular
anatomy
DR ASMA SALEEM QAZI
Heart anatomy
Location
Approximately the size of your fist
Location
Superior surface of diaphragm
Left of the midline
Anterior to the vertebral column, posterior to the
sternum
COVERING/ LAYERS
Pericardium – a double-walled sac around the heart composed of:
1. A superficial fibrous pericardium
2. A deep two-layer serous pericardium
a. The parietal layer lines the internal surface of the fibrous
pericardium
b. The visceral layer or epicardium lines the surface of the
heart
They are separated by the fluid-filled pericardial cavity
COVEIRNGS/ LAYERS
Heart wall
Epicardium – visceral layer of the serous pericardium
Myocardium – cardiac muscle layer forming the bulk of
the heart
Fibrous skeleton of the heart – crisscrossing, interlacing
layer of connective tissue
Endocardium – endothelial layer of the inner myocardial
surface
Cardiac Tissue Overview
Outermost = Pericardium & Epicardium
Pericardium is a membrane anchoring heart to diaphragm and sternum
Pericardium secretes lubricant (serous fluid)
Epicardium is outermost muscle tissue
Middle = Myocardium
Contains contractile muscle fibers
Innermost = Endocardium
Lines Cardiac Chambers
Heart covering: Functions
The Function of the Pericardium:
Protects and anchors the heart
Prevents overfilling of the heart with blood
Allows for the heart to work in a relatively
friction-free environment
Cardiac Chambers
Human heart has 4 chambers
2 Atria
Superior = primary receiving chambers, do not actually pump
Blood flows into atria
2 Ventricles
Pump blood
Contraction = blood sent out of heart + circulated
Chambers are separated by septum…
Due to separate chambers, heart functions as double pump
External heart: Major vessels (anterior
view)
Vessels returning blood to the heart include:
1. Superior and inferior venae cavae
2. Right and left pulmonary veins
Vessels conveying blood away from the heart include:
1. Pulmonary trunk, which splits into right and left pulmonary
arteries
2. Ascending aorta (three branches) –
a. Brachiocephalic
b. Left common carotid
c. Subclavian arteries
Click icon to add picture
Blood vessels /anterior view
External heart: Major vessels (posterior
view)
Vessels returning blood to the heart include:
1. Right and left pulmonary veins
2. Superior and inferior venae cavae
Vessels conveying blood away from the heart include:
1. Aorta
2. Right and left pulmonary arteries
Heart vessels (posterior view)
Vessels supply/ Drain blood in heart
Anterior view Posterior view
Arteries – right and left Arteries – right coronary
coronary (in atrioventricular artery (in atrioventricular
groove), marginal, circumflex, groove) and the posterior
and anterior interventricular interventricular artery (in
arteries interventricular groove)
Veins – small cardiac, anterior Veins – great cardiac vein,
cardiac, and great cardiac veins posterior vein to left ventricle,
coronary sinus, and middle
cardiac vein
Pulmonary Circulation
Pulmonary = Deoxygenated Blood
Involves Right Side of Heart
Pathway:
Superior / Inferior Vena Cava
Right Atrium Tricuspid Valve
Right Ventricle Pulmonary Semilunar Valve
Left Pulmonary Artery
Lungs
Pulmonary Circulation
Systemic Circulation
Systemic = Oxygenated Blood
Involves Left Side of Heart
Pathway:
Left Pulmonary Vein
Left Atrium Bicuspid Valve
Left Ventricle Aortic Semilunar Valve
Aorta
All Other Tissues
Systemic Circulation
Blood pathway through heart and lungs
Right atrium tricuspid valve right ventricle
Rightventricle pulmonary semilunar valve
pulmonary arteries lungs
Lungs pulmonary veins left atrium
Left atrium bicuspid valve left ventricle
Left ventricle aortic semilunar valve aorta
Aorta systemic circulation
Cardiac Valves
When the heart is relaxed…
Blood passively fills atrium
Flows right past tricuspid / bicuspid valves
Semilunar Valves remain shut
When the heart contracts (pumps)…
Tricuspid / Bicuspid valves swing up and shut
Blood ejected out of ventricle
Semilunar Valves open up
Atria of Heart
Atria are the receiving chambers of the heart
Each atrium has a protruding auricle
Pectinate muscles mark atrial walls
Blood enters right atria from superior and inferior venae cavae and
coronary sinus
Blood enters left atria from pulmonary veins
Ventricle of the heart
Ventricles are the discharging chambers of the heart
Papillary muscles and trabeculae carneae muscles mark
ventricular walls
Right ventricle pumps blood into the pulmonary trunk
Left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta
Thickness of cardiac wall
Myocardium of left ventricle is much thicker than the right
Gross anatomy of Heart
Coronary Circulation …. Arterial Supply
Coronary Circulation… Venous supply
Anatomy of Heart Muscles
Cardiac muscle is striated, short, fat, branched, and
interconnected
The connective tissue endomysium acts as both tendon and
insertion
Intercalateddiscs anchor cardiac cells together and allow
free passage of ions
Heart muscle behaves as a functional syncytium
CUSPS
The tricuspid valve has three leaflets or cusps and is on the right
side of the heart. It is between the right atrium and the right
ventricle, and stops the backflow of blood between the two.
The mitral valve is also called the bicuspid valve because it contains
two leaflets or cusps. It is on the left side of the heart and allows
the blood to flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle.
The aortic valve also has three cusps.
The mitral and tricuspid valves open and the aortic and pulmonic
valves shut while the ventricles fill with blood. In contrast,
the mitral and tricuspid valves shut while the aortic and pulmonic
valves open during ventricular contraction.
Main arteries and veins of head and neck
Carotid arteries
The heart and lungs work together to make sure the
body has the oxygen-rich blood it needs to function
properly. The Pulmonary Loop The right side of the
heart picks up the oxygen-poor blood from the body
and moves it to the lungs for cleaning and re-
oxygenating.
