LO3.

2: Describe and Explain the function of each structure in the

cardio vascular system.

“The cardiovascular system, also known as the circulatory system,

is a system of the body comprised of the heart, the blood, and the
blood vessels. This system is responsible for transporting blood. As
the cardiovascular system moves blood throughout the body, cells
receive oxygen and nutrients. Carbon dioxide and other wastes are
removed from the body as well.” (www.wisegeek.com)

Cardiac cycle
The cardiac cycle is a sequence of events that make up one
heartbeat and lasts for about 0.8seconds. This occurs about 72
times/ minute, depending on ones state of fitness.
“The cardiac cycle consists of a period of relaxation of the heart
muscle” known as the diastole phase (0.5secsonds) “followed by a
period of contraction of the heart muscle” known as systole (0.3
seconds), “during which time the electrical impulse from the SA
node is initiated in a set timed sequence.” (Physical education & The
study of sport, R.J.Davies et al)
The process of cardiac diastole is as follows;
• The atria fill with blood while the atrio-ventricular (mitral and
tricuspid) valves are closed.
• The atrioventricular valves were pushed open by rising atrial
pressure and the ventricles start to fill with blood. During this
time the semi-lunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves are closed.
(Physical education & The study of sport, R.J.Davies et al)

The process of cardiac systole is as follows;

• “The pulmonary artery carries the blood to the lungs. There the
blood picks up oxygen and is returned to the left atrium of the
heart by the pulmonary veins.” (biology.about.com)

• During the systole phase, the 0.3 second contraction, the

atrial systole is followed by ventricular systole and the cycle
begins again.

The following shows the process of Atrial systole;

• The atria contract forcing remaining blood down into the

ventricles
• The SA node indicates an electrical impulse that travels across
the atrial walls followed by a ‘wave-like’ contraction across the
myocardium of each atrium.
• The effect of atrial systole is to force all remaining blood past
the atrioventricular valves into the lower chambers. The semi-
lunar valves (pulmonary and aortic) are closed during activity.

‘For ventricular systole the ventricles contract and the

atrioventricular valves close. Ventricular contraction forces open the
semi lunar valves, so that blood is ejected into the pulmonary artery
and aorta.’

(Physical education & The study of sport, R.J.Davies et al)

“The heart's conduction system is responsible for maintaining and

monitoring a consistent and healthy heartbeat.”
(www.about.com/heartdisease)

The conduction system relies on transmissions of impulses and

consists of cardiac muscle cells and conducting fibres that are
specialised for initiating impulses and rapid conduction throughout
the heart. They initiate the normal heartbeat and co-ordinate
contraction and unlike skeletal muscle, the heart produces its own
impulse- myogenic.

The conduction system of the heart controls the cardiac cycle by

firstly
• An impulse being initiated in the SA node causing atria to
relax, so atrial diastole occurs.

• During atria diastole, the atria fill with blood and then
ventricular diastole occurs, where ventricles relax and
enlarge.

• Build up of pressure in the atria causes valves to open

pumping blood to ventricle.

• The SA node then sends an impulse to the atria to contract

which is known as atria systole.

• The valves of the atria then close, the impulse from the SA
node travels down the ‘bundle of his’ to the ventricles,
causing them to contract and blood to eject out.
(class notes)

(www.nottingham.ac.uk)

In the case of the heart, the SA node recharges whilst the atria are
refilling, and the AV node recharges when the ventricles are refilling.
In this way there is no need for a pause in heart function. Again, this
process takes less than one third of a second.
The times given for the 3 different stages are based on a heart rate
of 60 bpm , or 1 beat per second.

The term used for the release (discharge) of an electrical stimulus is

"depolarisation", and the term for recharging is "repolarisation".

So, the 3 stages of a single heart beat are:

1. Atrial depolarisation
2. Ventricular depolarisation
3. Atrial and ventricular repolarisation.

(www.nottingham.ac.uk)

“The heart is capable of increasing or decreasing cardiac output to

meet the demand for oxygen made by the working muscles.”
(www.peshare.co.uk/resource)

Cardiac control centre:

• Located in the medulla oblongata of the brain
• It is primarily responsible for regulating the heart
• And its controlled by the automatic nervous system (ANS)

The ANS allows the centre to be under involuntary control and

consists of two types of nervous system;

1. Sympathetic nervous system

This increases heart rate via the accelerator nerve

2. Parasympathetic nervous system

This decreases heart rate via the vagus nerve, with both
systems reaching the SA node regulating the heart rate
depending on the situation.

In muscles, tendons and joints there are proprioceptors which

inform the cardiac control centre that movement has increased.
The factors that affect the cardiac control centre are as follows;

• Neutral control- chemo/baroreceptors

Chemo receptors are located in the aorta and carotid arteries detect
a decrease in blood PH due to increase of lactic acid and carbon
dioxide. Baroreceptors detect an increase in blood pressure, aorta
and carotid arteries are sensitive to stretch.

• Hormonal control- adrenalin

 • Intrinsic control- venous return

During endurance activities cardiac output is increased by the

chemo and baroreceptors detecting then stimulating the cardiac
control centre, which inititates the sympathetic nervous system via
the accelerator nerve. This increases the impulse at the SA node
which results in increased heart rate and stroke volume overall
increasing heart rate.

By Natalie Beer, March 2011.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.wisegeek.com

‘Physical Education & The study of sport’- R.J Davies, C.R Bull, J.V
Roscoe, D.A Roscoe. Barcelona, 1995.

www.biology.about.com

(class notes)

www.nottingham.ac.uk)

www.peshare.co.uk/resource)