Cardiovascular System

Lecture II
Circulatory system
The circulatory system or cardiovascular system is the organ system, which circulates
blood around the body of most animals.
It consists of Heart - Aorta - Arteries - Arterioles - Capillaries - Venules - Veins - Venae
cavae - ulmonary arteries - !ungs - ulmonary veins - "lood
AORTA
The largest artery in the human body, the aorta originates from the left ventricle of the
heart and brings o#ygenated blood to all parts of the body in the systemic circulation.
The course of the aorta
The aorta is usually divided into several segments. The portion above the diaphragm $in
the thora#% is called the thoracic aorta and is sometimes further subdivided into the
ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending $thoracic% aorta. The portion below the
diaphragm $in the abdomen% is &nown as the abdominal aorta.
Thoracic aorta
The initial part of the aorta, the ascending aorta, rises out of the left ventricle, from which
it is separated by the aortic valve. The two coronary arteries of the heart arise from the
aortic root, 'ust above the cusps of the aortic valve.
The aorta then arches bac& over the right pulmonary artery. Three vessels come out of the
aortic arch,
Brachiocephalic artery,
Left common carotid artery, and
Left subclavian artery.
These vessels supply blood to the head, nec&, thora# and upper limbs.
The aorta gives off several paired branches as it descends in the thora#. These includes
the
Bronchial arteries,
Esophaeal arteries and
Intercostal arteries.
AB!O"I#AL AORTA
The abdominal aorta travels down the posterior wall of the abdomen, the abdominal aorta
runs on the left of the inferior vena cava, giving off ma'or blood vessels to the gut organs
and &idneys. There are many recogni(ed variants in the vasculature of the gastrointestinal
system. The most common arrangement for the abdominal aorta is to give off $in order% a
Celiac artery,
)uperior mesenteric artery and
Inferior mesenteric artery.
The renal arteries usually branch from the abdominal aorta in between the celiac artery
and the superior mesenteric artery.
The aorta terminates by dividing into two branches, the left and right common iliac
arteries that branch to supply blood to the lower limbs and the pelvis.
$eatures
The aorta is an elastic artery, and as such is *uite distensible. +hen the left ventricle
contracts to force blood into the aorta, the aorta e#pands. This stretching gives the
potential energy that will help maintain blood pressure during diastole, as during this time
the aorta contracts passively.
!iseases
Aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva
Aortic aneurysm
,issecting aortic aneurysm
Aortic coarctation
-arfan.s syndrome
Inborn cardiovascular defects
ARTER%
Arteries are muscular vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the tissues and
organs of the body $The vessels which return blood to the heart are veins%.
The circulatory system is e#tremely important in sustaining life. Its proper functioning is
responsible for the delivery of o#ygen and nutrients to all cells, as well as the removal of
carbon dio#ide, waste products, maintenance of optimum pH, and the mobility of the
elements, proteins and cells, of the immune system. In /irst +orld countries the two
leading causes of death, myocardial infarction and stro&e, are each direct results of an
arterial system that has been slowly and progressively compromised by years of
deterioration.
!escription
The arterial system is the higher-pressure portion of the circulatory system. Arterial
pressure varies between the pea& pressure during heart contraction, called the systolic
pressure, and the minimum, or diastolic pressure between contractions, when the heart
rests between cycles. This pressure variation within the artery produces the pulse which is
observable in any artery, and reflects heart activity.
Anatomy
Arteries are composed of distinct layers of tissue0 The innermost layer, which is in direct
contact with the flow of blood is the tunica intima, commonly called the intima. This
layer is made up of mainly endothelial cells. 1utside this layer is the tunica media, or
media, which is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue. The outermost layer is
&nown as the tunica adventitia or the adventitia, and is composed of connective tissue.
Types of arteries&
There are several types of arteries in the body2
'ulmonary arteries
The pulmonary arteries carry o#ygen deficient blood that has 'ust returned from the body
to the lungs, where carbon dio#ide is e#changed for o#ygen.
Systemic arteries
)ystemic arteries deliver blood to the arterioles, and then to the capillaries, where
nutrients and gasses are e#changed.

The Aorta
The aorta is the root systemic artery. It receives blood directly from the left ventricle of
the heart via the aortic valve. As the aorta branches and these arteries branch in turn, they
become successively smaller in diameter, successively down to the arteriole. The
arterioles supply capillaries, which in turn empty into venules.

ARTERIOLES
Arterioles, the smallest of the true arteries, help regulate blood pressure and deliver blood
to capillaries.

Arterioles and Blood 'ressure
Arterioles have the greatest collective influence on both local blood flow and on overall
blood pressure. They are the primary 3ad'ustable no((les3 in the blood system, across
which the greatest pressure drop occurs. The combination of heart output $cardiac output%
and total peripheral resistance, which refers to the collective resistance of all of the body4s
arterioles, are the principal determinants of arterial blood pressure at any given moment.
Capillaries
Though not considered true arteries, the capillaries are where all of the important action
happens in the circulatory system2

$unctions of capillaries
These vessels have no smooth muscle surrounding them and have a diameter less than
that of a red blood cell0 a red blood cell is typically 5 micrometers outside diameter,
capillaries typically 6 micrometers inside diameter. The red blood cells must distort in
order to pass through the capillaries.
This small diameter of the capillary provides a relatively large surface area for the
e#change of gases and nutrients.

(hat are the functions of capillaries&
In the lungs, carbon dio#ide is e#changed for o#ygen
In the tissues, o#ygen and carbon dio#ide and nutrients and wastes are e#changed
In the &idneys, wastes are released to be eliminated from the body
In the intestine nutrients are pic&ed up, and wastes released
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