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
 Arteries
 Aorta
- Leaves left ventricle
 Pulmonary arteries
- Leave right ventricle
 Veins
 Superior and Inferior vena
cava
- Enter right atrium
 Pulmonary veins (4)
- Enter left atrium
Blood Flow through the Heart
 Oxygen is picked up and carbon
dioxide is dropped off by blood in
the lungs.
 Oxygen-rich blood returns to the
heart through the four pulmonary
veins.
 Blood enters the left atrium and
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
The Heart: Conduction System
 Intrinsic conduction system
(nodal system).
 Heart muscle cells
contract, without nerve
impulses, in a regular,
continuous way.
 Special tissue sets the pace
 Sinoatrial node= SA node
(pacemaker”), is in the
right atrium.
 Atrioventricular node= AV
node, is at the junction of
the atria and ventricles.
 Atrioventricular bundle=
AV bundle (bundle of His),
is in the interventricular.
 Bundle branches are in the
interventricular septum
 Purkinje fibers spread
within the ventricle.
 Contraction is initiated by the
sinoatrial node (SA node)
 Sequential stimulation occurs at
other autorhythmic cells.
 Force cardiac muscle
depolarization in one direction-
from atria to ventricles.
 Once SA node starts the
heartbeat.
 Impulse spreads to the AV
node.
 Then the atria contract.
 At the AV node, the impulse
passes through the AV bundle,
branches, and Purkinje fibers.
 Blood is ejected from the
ventricles to the aorta and
pulmonary trunk as the ventricles
contract.
 Homeostatic imbalance
 Heart block- damaged AV
node releases them form
control of the SA node;
results is in a slower heart
rate as ventricles contract
at their own rate.
 Ischemia- lack of adequate
oxygen supply to heart
muscle.
 Fibrillation- a rapid,
uncoordinated shuddering
of the heart muscle.
 Tachycardia- rapid heart
rate over 100 beats per
minute.
 Bradycardia- slow heart
rate less than 60 beats per
minutes.
The Heart: Cardiac Cycle & Heart
Sounds
 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
- Semilunar valves
are closed
- Atrioventricular
valves are open
- Atria contract and
force blood into
ventricles.
 Ventricular Systole
- Blood pressure
builds before
ventricle contracts
- 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
 Superior and inferior vena cava
enter the right atrium of the heart
 Superior vena cava drains
the head and arms
 Inferior vena cava drains
the lower body
 Veins draining into the superior
vena cava
 Radial and ulnar veins 
brachial vein  axillary
vein
 These veins drain the
arms
 Cephalic vein drains the
lateral aspect of the arm
and empties into the
axillary vein
 Basilic vein drains the
medial aspect of the arm
and empties into the
brachial vein
 Basilic and cephalic veins
are jointed at the median
cubital vein (elbow area).
Subclavian vein receives
- Venous blood from
the arm via the
axillary vein
- Venous blood from
skin and muscles
via external jugular
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
cava  right atrium of
heart
 Azygous vein drains the
thorax
 Veins draining into the inferior
vena cava
 Anterior and posterior tibial
veins and fibial veins drain
the legs
 Posterior tibial vein 
popliteal vein  femoral
vein  external iliac vein
 Great saphenous veins
(longest veins of the body)
receive superficial
drainage of the legs
 Each common iliac vein
(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
and right testicle in males
 Left gonadal vein empties
into the left renal vein
 Left and right renal veins
drain the kidneys
 Hepatic portal vein drains
the digestive organs and
travels through the liver
before it enters systemic
circulation
 Left and right hepatic veins
drain the liver
Circle of Willis
 Internal carotid arteries divide
into
Anterior and middle
cerebral arteries
 These arteries supply
most of the cerebrum
 Vertebral arteries join once within
the skull to form the basilar artery
 Basilar artery serves the
brain stem and cerebellum
 Posterior cerebral arteries form
from the division of the basilar
artery
 These arteries supply the
posterior cerebrum
 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