Human Circulatory System/

Cardiovascular System
Circulatory / Cardiovascular system -
an organ system that passes nutrients, gases,
hormones, blood cells, etc. to and from cells
in the body to help fight diseases and help
stabilize body temperature and pH to
maintain homeostasis.
-humans have a closed cardiovascular system
(meaning that the blood never leaves the
network of arteries, veins and capillaries)
Components of cardiovascular system:
- heart, the veins, venules, arteries, arterioles
and capillaries.
Pulmonary circulation- a "loop" through the
lungs where blood is oxygenated
Systemic circulation- a "loop" through the
rest of the body to provide oxygenated
blood
Average adult contains roughly 4.7 to 5.7
liters of blood
Systemic circulation - transports oxygenated
blood away from the heart, to the rest of the body,
and returns oxygen-depleted blood back to the
heart. Systemic circulation is, much longer than
pulmonary circulation, transporting blood to every
part of the body

Coronary circulatory system provides a blood

supply to the heart. As it provides oxygenated
blood to the heart, it is by definition a part of the
systemic circulatory system
Heart- size of a person’s fist;
enclosed within inferior
mediastinum in the middle of t
horax
Apex- directed towards the left
and rest on diaphragm
nd
Base- lies beneath the 2 rib from
which great vessels emerge
Four chambers of the heart:
1. right atrium- upper receiving chamber of blood
that is deoxygenated (poor in oxygen)
2. right ventricle - pumped unoxygenated blood
through the pulmonary artery to the lungs for
re-oxygenation and removal of carbon
dioxide.
3.left atrium -receives newly oxygenated blood
from the lungs as well as the pulmonary vein
4. left ventricle - discharging chamber; pumped
oxygenated blood through the aorta to the
different organs of the body.
Valves:
1. Atrioventricular valves- prevent backflow of
blood to the atrium
a. tricuspid on the right side- 3 cusps or flaps
b.mitral or bicuspid on the left side-2 cusps or
flaps
2. Semilunar valves-guards bases of 2 large arteries
leaving the chamber
a. pulmonary
b. aortic
Septums:
Interatrial septum-bet 2 atria
Interventricularseptum- bet 2 ventricles

Chordae tendinae- cords attached to

papillary muscles on inner ventricular wall;
anchor flaps to the ventricle walls
Layers of the heart
 Epicardium- visceral pericardium; external layer
 Myocardium- middle muscular layer
 Endocardium- inner layer of endothelium
Coronary vessels- supply blood to the heart;
responsible for heart contraction fuelled by fatty
acids from blood stream
Pulmonary arteries- carry unoxygenated blood to the
lungs
Pulmonary veins-carry oxygenated blood to the heart
Pericardium/ pericardial sac- double layer
sac
1. visceral pericardium or epicardium-
hugs external surface of heart and
actually part of the heart
2. Parietal pericardium- reinforced by
fibrous pericardium
10-15 ml pericardial fluid- serous lubricant
bathing the heart allowing frictionless
environment
 Heartbeat is generated by specialized
neuromuscular tissue
1. Sinoatrial node-pacemaker- heartbeat is
generated by electrical impulses arising
spontaneously from it
2. atrioventricular node-
3. Purkinje system-includes left and right
atrioventricular branches of AV bundle (
bundle of His) and peripheral Purkinje
network
Intrinsic conduction system of the heart;
Setting the basic rhythm

-The SA node has the highest depolarization

rate in the whole system. It starts each
heartbeat and sets the pace for the whole
heart.
- From the SA node, the impulses spreads
through the atria to the AV node, then the
atria contract.
-At the AV node, the impulse is delayed briefly
to give the atria time to finish contracting.
-It then passes rapidly through the AV bundle
, the AV branches and the Purkenje fibers ,
resulting in a wringing contraction of the
ventricles that begins at the heart apex and
moves toward the atria.
- This contraction effectively ejects blood
superiorly into the large arteries leaving the
heart.
Cardiac cycle-refers to the event of complete
heartbeat
-definite rhythmic cycle of ventricular
contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole)

Heart beat- approximately 75 beats per

minute 7 cardiac cycle is normally 0.8 second
Events occurring in 3 periods
1. Mid to late diastole
2. Ventricular systole
3. Early diastole
 Heart Sounds- due to closure of heart valves
1.first sound- (lub) occurs when mitral and
tricuspid valves close, marking
approximately the beginning of systole
2. second sound-(dub/ dup) closing of
aortic and pulmonary semilunar
valves following the end of the systole
Cardiac Output-the amount of blood pumped
out by each side of the heart (ventricle)
in one minute
- the product of heart rate and stroke
volume
CO= HR (75 beats / min) x SV (70 ml/beat)
CO= 5250 ml/min
Stroke volume-volume of blood ejected per
beat
Minute volume/ cardiac output- stroke
volume x beats /minute - 5 liters/ minute
60-75 beats per minute- normal heart rate
5-6 liters- total blood volume of average
man
60-70 ml- average volume of blood ejected
by heart /beat
Blood Vessels
1. Artery- carries oxygenated blood
2. Arteriole- smaller artery
3. Vein- carries unoxygenated blood
4. Venule- smaller vein
5. Capillary- smallest blood vessel linking
artery and vein
 Coats or tunics making blood vessel wall
1.Tunica intima- endothelium (squamous),
loose connective tissue
2. Tunica media- smooth muscle and elastic
tissue
3. Tunica externa- outermost, fibrous
connective tissue
AORTA- largest artery about a size of garden
hose or thumb
Branches of ascending aorta- left and right
coronary artery (heart)
Branches of aortic arch-
1. Brachiocephalic artery- splits into R.
common carotid(brain) and R. subclavian (
right side of body)
2. L. common carotid artery-(skin, muscles
of head & neck)
3. Left subclavian artery - (left side of body
Branches of thoracic aorta
-Intercostal arteries (ten pairs)-supply
muscles of thoracic wall,
-Bronchial arteries- lungs
-Esophageal arteries- esophagus
-Phrenic arteries- diaphragm
Branches of abdominal aorta
-Celiac trunk-branch into L.gastric
artery(stomach), splenic artery ( spleen),
common hepatic artery ( liver)
-Superior mesenteric artery (intestine)
- Renal artery- (kidney)
- Gonadal artery (ovarian and testicular)-
(ovaries and testes)
- Lumbar artery-(abdomen & trunk muscle)
- Inferior mesenteric artery- (large intestine)
- Common iliac artery-final branch of
abdominal aorta; branch into internal iliac
(pelvic organs), external iliac (thigh), femoral
(thigh), popliteal , tibial and pedis
Superior and inferior vena cava-largest vein
Veins draining into the superior vena cava:
-Radial & ulnar veins-(arms)
- Cephalic veins-
- Basilic veins
- Subclavian veins
- Vertebral veins
- Internal jugular
- Brachiocephalic
- Azygos vein-
Veins draining into the inferior vena cava:
-Tibial and fibular vein- legs and foot
-Great Saphenous- longest vein in the body
(leg)
-Common iliac vein
- Gonadal vein
- Renal veins
- Hepatic portal vein
- Hepatic vein
Pulse- impulse felt over an artery lying near the
surface of the skin
-the alternating expansion and recoil of an artery
that occurs with each beat of the left ventricle
creates a pressure wave
-pulse averages 70-76 beats per minute in a normal
resting person
-Maybe influenced by activity, postural changes, and
emotions
-Also called pressure points- compressed to stop
blood flow into distal tissues during hemorrhage
Blood pressure- pressure the blood exerts
against the inner walls of the blood vessels,
and it is the force that keeps blood
circulating continuously even between
heart beats
-normal bp120/ 80mm Hg in normal adult
- Range s from 110-140 and 75 – 80
depending on age, race, weight, mood,
physical activity and posture
-measurements:
a. systole/ systolic pressure – arterial
pressure at the peak of ventricular
contraction
b. Diastole/ diastolic pressure- arterial
pressure at the peak of ventricular
relaxation
 Diseases
Pericarditis- inflammation of pericardium
results in decrease amount of serous
fluid
-causes the pericardial layers to bind
and stick to each other, forming
painful adhesions that interfere with
heart movements
Valvular stenosis-valve flaps become stiff,
often because of repeated bacterial
infection in the endocardium (endocarditis)
-forces the heart to contract more
vigorously than normal, increasing heart
workload, weakening the heart and may fail
- Faulty valves may be replaced with
synthetic or taken from pig heart
Angina pectoris- crushing chest pain result
from deprivation of oxygen of the
myocardium due to rapid heart rate and
shortened relaxation period
- If prolonged , heart cell may die of
ischemia forming infarct that leads to
MYOCARDIAL / CORONARY
INFARCTION or heart attack
Heart block-occurs when ventricles begin
to beat at slower rate due to damage of
AV node which thus releases it from SA
node control
Ischemia- lack of adequate blood supply to
heart muscle
Fibrillation- rapid uncoordinated
shuddering of the heart muscle (like bag of
worms)
-make heart useless as a pump; major
cause of heart attack
Murmur-abnormal or unusual heart sound
produced if blood flow strikes
obstructions due to valve problems like
VALVULAR STENOSIS (narrowing) Or
VALVULAR PROLAPSE ( incompetent
closure)
Tachycard
ia-rapid
heart rate
over 100
beats
per
minute
Bradycardia
-slower
than
normal
heart rate
of
less than 60
beats per
minute
Congestive
heart failure
(CHF)-occurs
when
pumping
efficiency of
the heart is
depressed
so that
circulation is
inadequate
to meet
tissue needs
Pulmonary congestion- occurs if left side
of the heart fails to pump and unable to
eject blood from systemic circulation.
Blood leaks to lungs & becomes swollen
causing PULMONARY EDEMA. If
untreated, person suffocates

Peripheral congestion-occurs if right side of

the heart fails, blood backs up the systemic
circulation causing edema in distal parts
Varicose veins- results from pooling of blood
in feet and legs and inefficient venous
return
resulting in inactivity or pressure on veins
-occurs in those standing long periods,
obese and pregnant
Thrombophlebitis- inflammation of vein due
to blood clot in vessel with poor circulation
Pulmonary embolism- clogging of blood clot
in terminal capillaries
Orthostatic hypotension-low blood pressure
and dizziness due to sudden change in position
in elderly due to aging sympathetic nervous
system

Circulatory shock- blood vessels are

inadequately filled and blood cannot circulate
normally; symptom acute hypertension
Atherosclerosis-narrowing of blood vessels
due to cholesterol deposits
Hypertension – blood pressure of
140/90mmHg and above
What is heart disease?
Heart disease begins when cholesterol, fatty
material, and calcium build up in the arteries.
When this occurs in the arteries that supply the
heart, this buildup, or plaque, causes the
arteries to narrow, so that oxygen delivery to
the heart is reduced. The reduction in oxygen
delivery to the heart can create chest pain, also
called angina.
Blockage of the coronary arteries by plaque may cause a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or a fatal rhythm
disturbance (sudden cardiac arrest).

Blockage of the coronary arteries by plaque

may cause a heart attack (myocardial
infarction) or a fatal rhythm disturbance
(sudden cardiac arrest).

The link between heart disease and heart attack

When plaque builds up to the point that it ruptures, it causes a
blood clot to form in the coronary artery. The blood clot
blocks blood from flowing to the heart muscle, leading to a
heart attack. In a worst-case scenario, sudden cardiac arrest or
fatal rhythm disturbance can occur.
What are the risk factors for heart
disease?
•smoking,
•high blood pressure (hypertension),
•high cholesterol,
•diabetes,
•family history of heart disease,
What are lifestyle risk factors for heart
disease?
•lack of exercise,
•high-fat diet,
•emotional stress, and
•having a "type A" personality (aggressive,
impatient, competitive).