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Heart Anatomy
Heart Anatomy
3. Securing one-way blood flow.The valves of the heart secure a one-way blood
flow through the heart and blood vessels.
The modest size and weight of the heart give few hints of its incredible strength.
Weight. Approximately the size of a person’s fist, the hollow, cone-shaped heart
weighs less than a pound.
Apex. It’s more pointed apex is directed toward the left hip and rests on the
diaphragm, approximately at the level of the fifth intercostal space.
Base. Its broad posterosuperior aspect, or base, from which the great vessels of
the body emerge, points toward the right shoulder and lies beneath the second
rib.
The heart has four hollow chambers, or cavities: two atria and two ventricles.
The great blood vessels provide a pathway for the entire cardiac circulation to
proceed.
Superior and inferior vena cava. The heart receives relatively oxygen-poor
bloodfrom the veins of the body through the large superior and inferior vena
cava and pumps it through the pulmonary trunk.
Pulmonary arteries. The pulmonary trunk splits into the right and left
pulmonary arteries, which carry blood to the lungs, where oxygen is picked up
and carbon dioxide is unloaded.
Aorta. Blood returned to the left side of the heart is pumped out of the heart
into the aorta from which the systemic arteries branch to supply essentially all
body tissues.
Heart Valves
The heart is equipped with four valves, which allow blood to flow in only one
direction through the heart chambers.
Although the heart chambers are bathed with blood almost continuously, the blood
contained in the heart does not nourish the myocardium.
Coronary arteries. The coronary arteries branch from the base of the aorta and
encircle the heart in the coronary sulcus (atrioventricular groove) at the
junction of the atria and ventricles, and these arteries are compressed when the
ventricles are contracting and fill when the heart is relaxed.
Blood Vessels
Blood circulates inside the blood vessels, which form a closed transport system, the
so-called vascular system.
Arteries. As the heart beats, blood is propelled into large arteries leaving the
heart.
Arterioles. It then moves into successively smaller and smaller arteries and then
into arterioles, which feed the capillary beds in the tissues.
Veins. Capillary beds are drained by venules, which in turn empty into veins that
finally empty into the great veins entering the heart.
Tunics
Except for the microscopic capillaries, the walls of the blood vessels have three
coats or tunics.
Tunica intima. The tunica intima, which lines the lumen, or interior, of the
vessels, is a thin layer of endothelium resting on a basement membrane and
decreases friction as blood flows through the vessel lumen.
Tunica media. The tunica media is the bulky middle coat which mostly consists
of smooth muscle and elastic fibers that constrict or dilate, making the blood
pressure increase or decrease.
The aorta springs upward from the left ventricle of heart as the ascending aorta.
Coronary arteries. The only branches of the ascending aorta are the right and
left coronary arteries, which serve the heart.
Arterial Branches of the Aortic Arch
Brachiocephalic trunk. The brachiocephalic trunk, the first branch off the aortic
arch, splits into the right common carotid artery and right subclavian artery.
Left common carotid artery.The left common carotid artery is the second
branch off the aortic arch and it divides, forming the left internal carotid, which
serves the brain, and the left external carotid, which serves the skin and
muscles of the head and neck.
Left subclavian artery. The third branch of the aortic arch, the left subclavian
artery, gives off an important branch- the vertebral artery, which serves part of
the brain.
Axillary artery. In the axilla, the subclavian artery becomes the axillary artery.
Brachial artery. the subclavian artery continues into the arm as the brachial
artery, which supplies the arm.
Radial and ulnar arteries. At the elbow, the brachial artery splits to form the
radial and ulnar arteries, which serve the forearm.
Arterial Branches of the Thoracic Aorta
The aorta plunges downward through the thorax, following the spine as the
thoracic aorta.
Celiac trunk. The celiac trunk is the first branch of the abdominal aorta and has
three branches: the left gastric artery supplies the stomach; the splenic
arterysupplies the spleen, and the common hepatic arterysupplies the liver.
Gonadal arteries. The gonadal arteries supply the gonads, and they are
called ovarian arteriesin females while in males they are testicular arteries.
Lumbar arteries. The lumbar arteries are several pairs of arteries serving the
heavy muscles of the abdomen and trunk walls.
Common iliac arteries. The common iliac arteries are the final branches of the
abdominal aorta.
Major veins converge on the venae cavae, which enter the right atrium of the heart.
Veins Draining into the Superior Vena Cava
Veins draining into the superior vena cava are named in a distal-to-proximal
direction; that is, in the same direction the blood flows into the superior vena cava.
Radial and ulnar veins. The radial and ulnar veins are deep veins draining the
forearm; they unite to form the deep brachial vein, which drains the arm and
empties into the axillary vein in the axillary region.
Cephalic vein. The cephalic vein provides for the superficial drainage of the
lateral aspect of the arm and empties into the axillary vein.
Basilic vein. The basilic vein is a superficial vein that drains the medial aspect of
the arm and empties into the brachial veinproximally.
Median cubital vein. The basilic and cephalic veins are joined at the anterior
aspect of the elbow by the median cubital vein, often chosen as the site for blood
removal for the purpose of blood testing.
Subclavian vein. The subclavian vein receives venous blood from the arm
through the axillary vein and from the skin and muscles of the head through
the external jugular vein.
Vertebral vein. The vertebral vein drains the posterior part of the head.
Internal jugular vein. The internal jugular vein drains the dural sinuses of the
brain.
Brachiocephalic veins. The right and left brachiocephalic veins are large veins
that receive venous drainage from the subclavian, vertebral, and internal jugular
veins on their respective sides.
Azygos vein. The azygos vein is a single vein that drains the thorax and enters
the superior vena cava just before it joins the heart.
Veins Draining into the Inferior Vena Cava
The inferior vena cava, which is much longer than the superior vena cava, returns
blood to the heart from all body regions below the diaphragm.
Tibial veins. The anterior and posterior tibial veins and the fibular vein drain
the leg; theposterior tibial veins becomes the popliteal vein at the knee and
then the femoral vein in the thigh; the femoral vein becomes the external iliac
vein as it enters the pelvis.
Great saphenous veins. The great saphenous veins are the longest veins in the
body; they begin at the dorsal venous archin the foot and travel up the medial
aspect of the leg to empty into the femoral vein in the thigh.
Common iliac vein. Each common iliac vein is formed by the union of the
external iliac vein and the internal iliac vein which drains the pelvis.
Gonadal vein. The right gonadal vein drains the right ovary in females and the
right testicles in males; the left gonadal veins empties into the left renal veins
superiorly.
Renal veins. The right and left renal veins drain the kidneys.
Hepatic portal vein. The hepatic portal vein is a single vein that drains the
digestive tract organs and carries this blood through the liver before it enters the
systemic circulation.
The spontaneous contractions of the cardiac muscle cells occurs in a regular and
continuous way, giving rhythm to the heart.
Cardiac muscle cells. Cardiac muscle cells can and do contract spontaneously
and independently, even if all nervous connections are severed.
Atrial contraction. From the SA node, the impulse spread through the atria to
the AV node, and then the atria contract.
Ventricular contraction. It then passes through the AV bundle, the bundle
branches, and the Purkinje fibers, resulting in a “wringing” contraction of the
ventricles that begins at the heart apex and moves toward the atria.
Bundle branches and Purkinje fibers. The wave then continues on through the
right and left bundle branches, and then to the Purkinje fibers in the ventricular
walls, resulting in a contraction that ejects blood, leaving the heart.
In a healthy heart, the atria contract simultaneously, then, as they start to relax,
contraction of the ventricles begin.
Cardiac cycle. The term cardiac cycle refers to the events of one complete heart
beat, during which both atria and ventricles contract and then relax.
Early diastole. At the end of systole, the ventricles relax, the semilunar valves
snap shut, and for a moment the ventricles are completely closed chambers; the
intraventricular pressure drops and the AV valves are forced open; the ventricles
again begin refilling rapidly with blood, completing the cycle.
First heart sound. The first heart sound, “lub”, is caused by the closing of the AV
valves.
Cardiac Output
Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped out by each side of the heart in one
minute. It is the product of the heart rate and the stroke volume.
Physiology of Circulation
A fairly good indication of the efficiency of a person’s circulatory system can be
obtained by taking arterial blood and blood pressure measurements.
Arterial pulse. The alternating expansion and recoil of an artery that occurs with
each beat of the left ventricle creates a pressure wave-a pulse- that travels
through the entire arterial system.
Normal pulse rate. Normally, the pulse rate (pressure surges per minute)
equals the heart rate, so the pulse averages 70 to 76 beats per minute in a
normal resting person.
Pressure points. There are several clinically important arterial pulse points, and
these are the same points that are compressed to stop blood flow into distal
tissues during hemorrhage, referred to as pressure points.
Blood pressure. Blood pressure is the pressure the blood exerts against the
inner walls of the blood vessels, and it is the force that keeps blood circulating
continuously even between heartbeats.
Renal factors. The kidneys play a major role in regulating arterial blood pressure
by altering blood volume, so when blood pressure increases beyond normal, the
kidneys allow more water to leave the body in the urine, then blood volume
decreases which in turn decreases blood pressure.
Diet. Although medical opinions tend to change and are at odds from time to
time, it is generally believed that a diet low in salt, saturated fats,
and cholesterolhelp to prevent hypertension, or high blood pressure.
The right and left sides of the heart work together in achieving a smooth flowing
blood circulation.
Entrance to the heart. Blood enters the heart through two large veins, the
inferior and superior vena cava, emptying oxygen-poor blood from the body into
the right atrium of the heart.
Atrial contraction. As the atrium contracts, blood flows from the right atrium to
the right ventricle through the open tricuspid valve.
Closure of the tricuspid valve.When the ventricle is full, the tricuspid valve
shuts to prevent blood from flowing backward into the atria while the ventricle
contracts.
Ventricle contraction. As the ventricle contracts, blood leaves the heart through
the pulmonic valve, into the pulmonary artery and to the lungs where it is
oxygenated.
Opening of the mitral valve. As the atrium contracts, blood flows from your left
atrium into your left ventricle through the open mitral valve.
Prevention of backflow. When the ventricle is full, the mitral valve shuts. This
prevents blood from flowing backward into the atrium while the ventricle
contracts.
Blood flow to systemic circulation. As the ventricle contracts, blood leaves the
heart through the aortic valve, into the aorta and to the body.
Substances tend to move to and from the body cells according to their
concentration gradients.
Routes. Basically, substances leaving or entering the blood may take one of four
routes across the plasma membranes of the single layer of endothelial cells
forming the capillary wall.