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.
  Blood flows from the right
side of the heart to the
The Heart: Chambers
lungs and back to the left
 Right and Left side act as side of the heart.
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
 Interventricular septum  Atrioventricular Valves
 Separates the two (AV)
ventricles. - Between atria and
 Interatrial septum ventricles.
 Separates the two atria. o Bicuspid (mitral) valve
– left side of the heart.
The Heart’s Role in Blood Circulation o Tricuspid valve- right
 Systemic circulation side of the heart.
 Blood flows from the left  Semilunar Valves
side of the heart through - Between ventricle
the body tissues and back and artery.
to the right of the heart. o Pulmonary semilunar
 Pulmonary circulation valve
o Aortic semilunar valve
 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
contraction.
the 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
 Coronary sinus- a large
the 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
 Aorta (nodal 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
 Pulmonary veins (4) right 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  Fibrillation- a rapid,
depolarization in one direction- uncoordinated shuddering
from atria to ventricles. of the heart muscle.
 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
contract.  Atria contract simultaneously
 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
 Heart block- damaged AV are closed
- 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”
 - Semilunar valves
open as blood
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
The Heart: Cardiac Output
sound is
heard as  Cardiac Output (CO)
semilunar  Amount of blood pumped
valves close, by each side (L& R
causing ventricle) of the heart in
“dup” sound.
one minute
- Atria finish refilling
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
Blood Vessels: The vascular System
 Changing heart rate is the most
common way to change cardiac  Transport blood to the tissues
output and back
 Carry blood away from the
heart
The Heart: Regulation of heart Rate - Arteries
- Arterioles
 Increased heart rate
 Exchanges between tissues and
 Sympathetic nervous
blood
system- part ng
 Capillary beds Return
autonomic NS
blood toward the heart
- Crisis
 Venules
- Low blood pressure
 Veins
 Hormones
- 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 Movement of Blood through Vessels
media than arteries
 Veins also have valves to  Most arterial blood is pumped by
prevent backflow of blood the heart
 Lumen of veins are larger  Veins use the milking action of
than arteries muscles to help move blood

Venous Aids for the Return of Blood to Capillary Beds

the Heart  Capillary beds consist of two
 Veins: types of vessels
 Have a thinner tunica  Vascular shunt—vessel
media directly connecting an
 Operate under low arteriole to a venule
pressure  True capillaries—
 Have a larger lumen than exchange vessels
arteries - Oxygen and
 To assist in the movement of nutrients cross to
blood back to the heart: cells
 Larger veins have valves - Carbon dioxide and
to prevent backflow 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
- Thoracic aorta— axillary artery 
travels downward brachial artery 
through the thorax radial and ulnar
arteries
  Lumbar arteries serve
 Arterial branches of the thoracic muscles of the abdomen
aorta and trunk
 Intercostal arteries supply  Arterial branches of the
the muscles of the thorax abdominal aorta
wall  Inferior mesenteric artery
 Other branches of the serves the second half of
thoracic aorta supply the the large intestine
- Lungs (bronchial  Left and right common iliac
arteries) arteries are the final
- Esophagus branches of the aorta
(esophageal - Internal iliac arteries
arteries) serve the pelvic
- Diaphragm (phrenic organs
arteries) - External iliac
 Arterial branches of the arteries enter the
abdominal aorta thigh  femoral
 Celiac trunk is the first artery  popliteal
branch of the abdominal artery  anterior
aorta. Three branches are and posterior tibial
- Left gastric artery arteries
(stomach)
- 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
vena cava heart
 Radial and ulnar veins   Azygous vein drains the
brachial vein  axillary thorax
vein  Veins draining into the inferior
 These veins drain the vena cava
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
Arterial Supply of the Brain
 Right gonadal vein drains
the right ovary in females  Internal carotid arteries divide
and right testicle in males into
 Left gonadal vein empties
into the left renal vein Anterior and middle
 Left and right renal veins cerebral arteries
drain the kidneys  These arteries supply
 Hepatic portal vein drains most of the cerebrum
the digestive organs and  Vertebral arteries join once within
travels through the liver the skull to form the basilar artery
before it enters systemic  Basilar artery serves the
circulation brain stem and cerebellum
 Left and right hepatic veins  Posterior cerebral arteries form
drain the liver from the division of the basilar
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
  Ductus arteriosus
connects the aorta and
pulmonary trunk (becomes
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
 Blood flow bypasses the liver circulation
through the ductus venosus and  Inferior and superior
enters the inferior vena cava  mesenteric veins
right atrium of heart  Splenic vein
 Blood flow bypasses the lungs  Left gastric vein
 Blood entering right atrium
is shunted directly into the
left atrium through the
foramen ovale
 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
  BP is blood pressure
 BP is affected by age,
weight, time of day,
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

 Capillary Exchange: Mechanisms
 Direct diffusion across plasma
membranes
 Endocytosis or exocytosis
 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
osmotic pressure at the arterial
if 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
  Few structural changes occur
after the seventh week
 Aging problems associated with
the cardiovascular system
include
 Venous valves weaken
 Varicose veins
 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