CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Consists of:
- Pericardium
- Heart
- Arteries
- Capillaries
- Veins
Has two circulations:
- Systemic
- Pulmonary
MEDIASTINUM

PERICARDIUM
-

Attaches to:
roots of the great vessels
central tendon of the diaphragm
maintains the position of the heart
prevents rapid over distension of the heart

SEROUS PERICARDIUM
-

outer parietal layer and inner visceral layer

lubrication allowing free movement of heart within the fibrous
pericardium

HEART WALL
Three layers:
-

Epicardium
Outermost
Serous
Adipose tissue
Endocardium
lines the interior heart chambers
continuous with the endothelium
the blood vessels
Myocardium
Thickest
Cardiac muscle

HEART CHAMBERS
Comprised of four chambers
TWO ON THE RIGHT
- Right atrium (RA)
- Right ventricle (RV)
TWO ON THE LEFT
- Left atrium (LA)
- Left ventricle (LV)

THE CHAMBERS
-

Internally the left and right ventricles are divided by the

interventricular septum
Artia
Thin-walled
Pectinate muscle
Ventricle
eject blood into arteries
RV thinner than LV
Trabeculae carneae muscle

VALVES
Atria and ventricles separated by valves
-

One way
Between atrium and ventricle
Atrioventricular valve
Left AV valve (bicuspid or mitral valve)
Right AV valve (tricuspid valve)
Tendinous cords (chordae tendinae)
Papillary muscles

GREAT VESSELS
-

Superior vena cava

Inferior vena cava
Aorta
Pulmonary trunk

BLOOD FLOW OF THE HEART

ARTERIES AND VEINS

ARTERIES
-

First branches of the aorta

left and right coronary arteries
Right coronary artery
Supplies left atrium, ventricle
and septum
Anterior interventricular artery
Ventricles

VEINS
-

Great cardiac vein

Middle cardiac vein
Small cardiac vein
Coronary sinus
Main vein of heart
Receives all major cardiac veins
Drains to RA

CONDUCTING SYSTEM

BLOOD VESSELS
-

Arteries
Convey blood away from the heart
Thick tunica media
Narrow lumen
More elastic an collagen fibres

Veins
Carry blood back to the heart
Thick tunica externa
Large lumen
Less collagen and elastic fibres

Capillaries
Connection between smallest arteries and veins

Vessel walls are composed of layers called tunics

1. Tunica intima
- Innermost layer
- Endothelium
2. Tunica media
- Middle layer
- Smooth muscle
3. Tunica externa
- Outermost layer
- Connective tissue sheath

AORTA
Ascending aorta
-

Coronary arteries

Arch of aorta
-

Brachlocephalic artery
Left common caroid
Left subclavian

Descending aorta
-

Intercostals

Abdominal aorta
-

Celiac trunk
Superior mesenteric artery
Inferior mesenteric artery
Renal arteries
Gonadal arteries

Common iliac arteries

VENOUS RETURN
- Venous return requires the aid valves and pumps to drive blood back to the heart
- 2 major
Muscular pump
Thoracic pump

Major veins
-

Superior vena cava

Receiving blood from head, neck and upper limb

Inferior vena cava

Receiving blood from lower limbs, pelvic
organs and abdominal organs (eventually)

Superficial veins of the upper limb

o Cephalic vein
o Basilic vein
o Median cubital vein

Superficial veins of the lower limb

o Great saphenous vein
o Small saphenous vein