ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM HEART EXTERNAL ANATOMY

The heart is a muscular organ that is A coronary sulcus extends around the heart, separating the
essential for life because it pumps atria from the ventricles.
blood through the body. The heart is a
member organ of the cardiovascular Two grooves, or sulci, which indicate the division between the
system, which contains of the heart, right and left ventricles, extend inferiorly from the coronary
blood vessels, and blood. sulcus.

The heart of a adult, at rest, pumps The anterior interventricular sulcus extends inferiorly from the
approximately 5 liters (L) of blood per coronary sulcus on the anterior surface of the heart.
minute. For most people, the heart
The posterior interventricular sulcus extends inferiorly from the
continues to pump at approximately
coronary sulcus on the posterior surface of the heart.
that rate for more than 75 years.
The superior vena cava and inferior vena cava carry blood from
The heart is actually two pumps in one, with the heart’s right
the body to the right atrium, and four pulmonary veins carry
side pumping blood to the lungs and back to the left side of
blood from the lungs to the left atrium.
the heart through vessel of the pulmonary circulation.
Two arteries, often called the great vessels, or great arteries,
The left side of the heart
carry blood away from the ventricles of the heart.
pumps blood to all other
tissues of the body and The pulmonary trunk, arising from the right ventricle, splits into
back to the right side of the right and left pulmonary arteries, which carry blood to the
the heart through vessels lungs.
of the systemic circulation.
The aorta arising from the left ventricle, carries blood to the
rest of the body.
FUNCTIONS OF THE HEART

1. Generates blood pressure

2. Routes blood
3. Ensures one-way blood flow
4. Regulates body supply

HEART CHARACTERISTICS

Size:

➢ Size of a fist
and weighs less
than 1 lb.

Location:

➢ Between lungs
in thoracic cavity.

Orientation:

➢ Apex (bottom)
towards left side.

PERICARDIA

Pericardium:

➢ Double-layered
sac that anchors
and protects
heart.

Parietal pericardium: HEART CHAMBERS

➢ Membrane around The four chambers:

heart’s cavity. 1. Left atrium (LA)
Visceral pericardium: 2. Right atrium (RA)
3. Left ventricle (LV)
➢ Membrane on heart’s surface. 4. Right ventricle (RA)

Pericardial cavity: Coronary sulcus:

➢ Space around heart. ➢ Separates atria from ventricles.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
The Atria: HEART VALVES

➢ Superior chambers
➢ Receive blood from veins
➢ Small, thin walled
➢ Contract minimally to push blood into ventricles.

Interatrial septum:

➢ Separates right atria and left atria

Ventricles:

➢ Inferior chambers
➢ Pump blood out of heart to arteries
➢ Thick, strong walled
➢ Contract forcefully to propel blood out of the heart.

Interventricular septum:

➢ Separates right ventricles and left ventricles.

Atrioventricular Heart Valves:

➢ Valves between the atria and ventricles.

CARDIAC SKELETON
Tricuspid valve:
A plate of connective tissue, sometimes called the cardiac
➢ AV valve between RA and RV skeleton, or fibrous skeleton, consists mainly of fibrous rings
➢ 3 cusps that surround the atrioventricular and semilunar valves and
give them solid support.
Bicuspid Valve (mitral):
This connective tissue plate also serves as electrical insulation
➢ AV valve between LA and LV
between the atria and the ventricles and provides a rigid
➢ 2 cusps
attachment site for cardiac muscle.
CONTROL OF HEART VALVES

Each ventricle contains cone-shaped, muscular pillars called

papillary muscles.

These muscles are attached by strong, connective tissue

strings called chordae tendineae to the free margins of the
cusps of the atrioventricular valves.

When the ventricles contract, the papillary muscles contract

and prevent the valves from opening into the atria by pulling
on the chordae tendineae attached to the valve cusps.

Semilunar Heart Valves - The semilunar valves have three half-

moon shaped cusps, and are valves between the ventricles and
the arteries.

Pulmonary Valve - Between RV and pulmonary trunk

Aortic valve – between LV and aorta.

INTERNAL ANATOMY OF THE HEART

BLOOD FLOW THROUGH HEART

1. Right Atrium
2. Tricuspid Valve
3. Right Ventricle
4. Pulmonary Semilunar Valve
5. Pulmonary trunk
6. Pulmonary arteries
7. Lungs
8. Pulmonary veins
9. Left atrium
10. Bicuspid valve
11. Left ventricle
12. Aortic semilunar valve
13. Aorta
14. Body
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
BLOOD FLOW THROUGH HEART 2. Cardiac muscle cells in the atrial wall are stimulated
as action potentials spread across the atrial wall and
towards the ventricles.
3. Cardiac muscle cells in the atrial wall contract,
pushing blood into the ventricles.
4. Cardiac muscle cells in the ventricular wall are
stimulated as action potentials spread across the
ventricular wall from the apex of the heart toward its
base.
5. Cardiac muscle cells in the ventricular wall contract
pushing blood into the great arteries.

BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE HEART

Coronary Arteries

➢ Supply blood to heart wall

➢ Originate from base of aorta (above aortic semilunar
valve)

Left coronary artery:

HEART WALL
➢ Has 3 branches
➢ Supplies blood to anterior heart wall and left Epicardium: surface of heart
ventricle. (outside)

Right coronary artery: Myocardium: thick, middle layer

composed of cardiac muscle
➢ Originates on right side of aorta
➢ Supplies blood to right ventricle Endocardium: smooth, inner surface.

Cardiac Veins:

➢ Drain blood from the cardiac muscle CARDIAC MUSCLE

➢ Parallel to the coronary arteries
➢ Most drain blood into the coronary sinus ➢ One centrally
➢ From the coronary sinus into the right atrium located nucleus
➢ Branching cells
➢ Rich in
mitochondria
➢ Striated (actin and
myosin)
➢ Ca2+ and ATP
used for
contractions
➢ Intercalated disks connect cells.

CARDIAC MUSCLE ACTION POTENTIALS

Changes in membrane permeability are responsible for

producing action potentials and called pacemaker potential.

STIMULATION OF THE HEART 1. Depolarization phase:

➢ Na+ channels open
Movement of blood through the heart is determined by a ➢ Ca2+ channels open
coordinated sequence of cardiac muscle contractions. Atria 2. Plateau phase:
contract first, followed by ventricles. ➢ Na+ channels close
➢ Some K+ channels open
1. The heart is at rest and all chambers are relaxed.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
➢ Ca2+ channels close ➢ Action potentials are rapidly delivered to all the
3. Repolarization phase cardiac muscle of the ventricles.
➢ K+ channels are open
➢ Ca2+ channels close ACTION POTENTIAL PATH THROUGH HEART

Plateau phase prolongs action potential by keeping Ca 2+ 1. SA node

channels open. 2. AV node
(atrioventricular)
In skeletal muscle action potentials take 2 msec, In cardiac 3. AV bundle
muscle they take 200 to 500 msec. 4. Right and Left bundle
branches
5. Purkinje fibers

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (EKG)

ECG (EKG)

➢ Record of electrical events in heart

➢ Diagnoses cardiac abnormalities
➢ Uses electrodes
➢ Contains P wave, QRS complex, T wave

COMPONENTS OF ECG (EKG)

P wave:

➢ Depolarization of atria

QRS complex:

CONTRACTION SYSTEM OF THE HEART ➢ Depolarization of

ventricles
Contraction of the atria and ventricles is coordinated by ➢ Contains Q,R,S waves
specialized cardiac muscle cells in the heart wall that form the
conduction system of the heart. T wave:

All the cells of the conduction system can produce ➢ Repolarization of

spontaneous action potentials. ventricles.

The conduction system of the heart includes the sinoatrial

node, atrioventricular node, atrioventricular bundle, right and CARDIAC CYCLE
left bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers.
The Cardiac Cycle is a summative description of all the events
Sinoatrial node (SA node): that occur during one single heartbeat. The heart is a two side
pump, with the atria being primers for pumps and the
➢ In RA ventricles being the actual pumps.
➢ Where action potential originates
➢ Function as pacemaker HEART CHAMBER CONTRACTIONS
➢ Large number of Ca2 channels.
➢ Cardiac muscle contractions produce pressure
Atrioventricular node (AV node): changes within heart chambers.
➢ Pressure changes are responsible for blood
➢ Located in the lower portion of the right atrium movement.
➢ Action potentials from SA node sent to this node ➢ Blood moves from areas of high to low pressure.
➢ Action potentials spread slowly through it
➢ Slow rate of action potential conduction allows the CARDIAC CYCLE
atria to complete their contraction before action
potentials are delivered to the ventricles. Arterial Systole:

Atrioventricular bundle: ➢ Contraction of atria

➢ Action potentials from AV node travel by the AV Ventricular systole:

bundle to the ventricles.
➢ Contraction of ventricles
➢ AV bundle divides into a left and right bundle
branches to left and right ventricles. Atrial diastole:
Purkinje Fibers ➢ Relaxation of atria
➢ At the tips of the left and right bundle branches, are Ventricular diastole:
Purkinje fibers.
➢ Relaxation of ventricles
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
EVENTS OF THE CARDIAC CYCLE ➢ The degree ventricular walls are stretched at the end
of diastole.

Venous return, preload, and stroke volume are related to each

other.

Starlings low of the Heart

➢ Relationship between preload and stroke

➢ Volume
➢ Influences cardiac output
➢ Example – exercise increase venous rectum, preload,
stroke volume, and cardiac output.

After Load:

➢ Pressure against which ventricle must pumps blood.

EXTRINSIC REGULATION OF THE HEART

➢ Extrinsic Regulation refers to mechanisms external to

HEART SOUNDS the heart, such as either nervous or chemical
regulation.
➢ Heart sound are ➢ Nervous system control of the heart occurs through
produced due to the the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the
closure of heart valves. autonomic nervous system. Influences of heart activity
➢ A stethoscope is used to are carried through the autonomic nervous system.
hear heart sounds. ➢ Both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers
➢ The first heart sound innervate the SA node.
makes a ‘lubb’ sound.
➢ The second heart sound
makes “dupp” sound.
➢ The first heart sound is
due to the closure of the
atrioventricular valves.
➢ The second heart sound
is due to closure of the
semilunar valves.

REGULATION OF HEART FUNCTION

Stroke Volume:

➢ Volume of blood pumped per ventricle per

contraction
➢ 70 milliliters/beat

Heart Rate:
BARORECEPTOR REFLEX
➢ Number of heart beats in 1 min
➢ 72 beats/min. The Baroreceptor Reflex is a mechanism of the nervous system
that plays an important role in regulating heart function.
Cardiac Output:
Baroreceptors:
➢ Volume of blood pumped by a ventricle in 1 min.
➢ 5 liters/min • Monitor blood pressure in the aorta and carotid
Cardiac output equals stroke volume times heart rate. arteries.
• Changes in blood pressure cause changes in
CO= SV × HR frequency of action potentials.
• Involves the medulla oblongata
INTRINSIC REGULATION OF THE HEART

Intrinsic regulation refers to the mechanisms contained with

the heart itself that control cardiac output.

Venous return:

➢ The amount of blood that returns to heart

Preload:
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
HEART PROCEDURES

Angioplasty – procedures opens blocked blood

vessels.
Stent – structure inserted to keep vessels open
Bypass – procedure reroutes blood away from
blocked arteries.

CHEMORECEPTOR REFLEX

• The chemoreceptor reflex involves chemical

regulation of the heart function.
• Chemicals can affect heart rate and stroke volume.

Chemical Actions: Chemoreceptor Reflex

➢ Epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal

medulla can increase heart rate and stroke volume
excitement, anxiety, and anger can increase cardiac
output.
➢ Depression can decrease cardiac output.
➢ Medulla oblongata has chemoreceptors for changes
in pH and CO2
➢ K+, Ca2+ and Na+ affect cardiac function.

HEART DISEASE

Coronary Artery Disease

➢ Decrease blood supply to the heart

➢ Coronary arteries are narrowed for some reason

Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)

➢ Due to closure of one or more coronary arteries

➢ Area(s) of cardiac muscle lacking adequate blood
supply die, and scars (infarct)