THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Dr. Almaguer
OBJECTIVE
� The student will:
⚫ Describe the heart in terms of chambers, valves,
blood flow, heartbeat, and blood supply.
⚫ Recognize the cardiovascular system medical
terminology
 FUNCTIONS OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
� The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, blood
vessels, and blood. Cardiovascular means pertaining to the
heart and blood vessels. (cardi/o means heart, vascul means
blood vessels, and –ar means pertaining to.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
� These structures work together to efficiently pump blood to all
body tissues.
⚫ Blood is a fluid tissue that transports oxygen and nutrients to
the body tissues.
⚫ Blood return some waste products from these tissues to the
kidneys and carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
⚫ Blood cells also play important roles in the immune system
and in the endocrine system.
STRUCTURES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM

� The heart
� The pericardium
� The walls of the heart
THE HEART
� The heart is a hollow, muscular organ located in the
thoracic cavity, between the lungs. It is a affective
pump that furnishes the power to maintain the blood
flow needed throughout the entire body. The apex is
the lower tip of the heart.
THE PERICARDIUM
� Also known as the pericardium sac, is the double-
walled membranous sac that encloses the heart (peri-
means surrounding, cardi means heart, and –um is a
singular noun ending.
THE WALLS OF THE HEART
� Epicardium: is the external layer of the heart and
also is part of the inner layer of the pericardial sac.
(epi-means upon, cardi means heart, and –um is a
singular noun ending).
� Myocardium: which is the middle and thickest of
the three layers, consist of the cardiac muscle. (My/o
means muscle, cardi means heart, and –um noun
ending).
� Endocardium: which is the lining of the heart,
forms the inner surface that comes in direct contact
with blood being pumped through the heart. (endo-
means within).
 BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE MYOCARDIUM
• The myocardium is specialized muscle that beats
constantly and must have a continuous supply of oxygen
and nutrients and prompt removal of waste.
• The CORONARY ARTERIES AND VEINS supply the blood
needs of the myocardium. If this blood supply is
disrupted, the myocardium in the affected
area dies.
 THE CHAMBERS OF THE HEART
� The heart is divided into four
chambers, each of which has a
specialized function.
� The heart is divided into left and
right sides. Each side is subdivided,
this forming four chambers.
� Atria: the two upper chambers of the
heart, are the receiving chambers. All
blood vessels coming from the heart
enter here (singular, atrium).
� The atrial are separated by the
interatrial septum. A septum is a
separating wall or partition.
� The two ventricles are the lower
chambers of the heart. All vessels
leaving the heart emerge from the
ventricles.
 THE HEART VALVES
� Tricuspid valve: controls the
opening between the right
atrium and the right ventricle.
� Pulmonary semilunar valve: is
located between the right
ventricle and the pulmonary
artery.
� Mitral valve: also know as the
MV or bicuspid valve, is located
between the left atrium and
left ventricle.
� Aortic semilunar valve: is
located between the left
ventricle and the aorta.
BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE HEART

� The right atrium (RA) receives oxygen-poor from all

tissues, except the lungs, through the superior and inferior
venae cava. Blood flows out of the RA through the tricuspid
valve into the right ventricle.
� The right ventricle (RV) pumps the oxygen-poor blood
through the pulmonary semilunar valve and into the
pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs.
� The left atrium (LA) receives oxygen-rich blood from the
lungs through the four pulmonary veins. The blood flows
out of the LA, through the mitral valves, and into the left
ventricles.
� The left ventricle (LV) receives oxygen-rich blood from
the left atrium. Blood flows out of the LV through the aortic
semilunar valve and into the aorta, which carries it to all parts
of the body, except the lungs.
� Oxygen-poor blood is returned by the venae cavae to the right
atrium, and the cycle continues.
THE HEARTBEAT
� The heartbeat is the ability to pump blood
effectively throughout the body, the contraction
and relaxation (beating) of the heart must occur
in exactly the corner sequence.
Normal value: adults 60-100
 THE SINOATRIAL NODE
� The sinoatrial (SA)
node is often
referred to as the
SA node, is located
in the posterior
wall of the right
atrium near the
entrance of the
superior vena cava.
� Natural
peacemaker
THE BLOOD VESSELS
� Objective:
⚫ The student will differentiate among the three
different types of blood vessels, and describe the
major function of each.
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF BLOOD VESSELS:
ARTERIES, CAPILLARIES, AND VEINS.
� Arteries: are large blood vessels that carry blood away
from the heart to all regions of the body.
⚫ Aorta, carotid arteries. Color: Bright red.
� Capillaries: which are only one epithelial cell in
thickness, are the smallest blood vessels in the body.
� Veins: from a low-pressure collecting system to return
oxygen-poor blood to the heart.
 PULSE AND BLOOD PRESSURE
� Pulse: is the rhythmic pressure against the walls of the
artery caused by the contraction of the heart.
(Normal: adult 80-100).
� Blood pressure: is the measurement of systolic and
diastolic pressure exerted against the walls of the
arteries. (120/80 mmHg)
BLOOD

� Objective:
⚫ The student will learn the major components of blood and
the major functions of each component.
� Blood is the fluid tissue in the body. It is composed of
55% liquid plasma and 45% formed elements.
 FORMED ELEMENTS OF THE BLOOD
� Erythrocytes- also named as red blood cells, are
mature red blood cells produce by the red bone
marrow (erythr/o means red, and –cytes means
cells).
� The primary role of these cells is to transport
oxygen to the tissues. This oxygen is transported
by hemoglobin (hem/o means blood, -globin
means protein).
LEUKOCYTES
� Also known as white blood cells (WBC), are the blood
cells involved in defending the body against infective
organisms and foreign substances (leuk/o mans white,
and –cytes means cells).
THROMBOCYTES

� Are also known as platelets, are the smallest

formed elements of the blood. They play an
important role in the clotting of blood (thromb/o
means clot, and –cytes means cells).
BLOOD TYPES
� Are classified according to the presence of
absence of certain antigens. (an antigen is any
substance that the body regards as being
foreign).
� The four major blood types are A, AB, B, and O.
The Rh factor defines the presence of absence of
the Rh antigen on red blood cells.
INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENT
� November 17, 2021
� Exercise 2: Define the following blood cells:
� Erythrocytes, Leukocytes, Neutrophils,
Basophils, Eosinophils, Lymphocytes,
Monocytes, Thrombocytes
� Draw, label and color Figure 5.13 (page 111).