CARDIOVASCULAR

SYSTEM
HEART
• A hollow muscular organ
• The heart weighs between 7 and 15
ounces (200 to 425 grams) and is a
little larger than the size of your fist.
• Heart is located between your lungs in
the middle of your chest, behind and
slightly to the left of your breastbone
(sternum)
SURFACES OF THE HEART
1. STERNOCOSTAL SURFACE
- Formed mainly by the RA and
RV
2. DIAPHRAGMATIC SURFACE
- Formed by RV and LV
3. BASE OF THE HEART
- Formed by the LA
- Directed posteriorly, superiorly
and to the right
**APEX OF THE HEART:

• Formed by he LV
• Lies at the level of the 5th Left
Intercostal space, 3 1/2” inches from
midline.
• Directed downward, forward and to
the left.
BORDERS OF THE HEART:
(INTERNAL BORDERS)
• Right Border
• Formed by RA
• Left Border
• Formed by Left auricle
• Lower Border
• Formed by LV
 (EXTERNAL BORDERS)
• Anterior Surface
• Sternum and ribs
• Inferior Surface
• Part of the heart between apex and
right border, diaphragm
• Right Border
• Right lung
• Left Border
• Pulmonary border (Left lung, base
to apex)
PERICARDIUM
• Fibroserous sac that encloses the
heart the roots of the great vessels.
• Lies within the middle mediastinum
• FUNCTION:
• 1. Restrict excessive movement
of the heart as a whole
• 2. Serves as a lubricated
container in which the different
parts of the heart can contract.
2 TYPES OF PERICARDIUM
1. FIBROUS PERICARDIUM
- Strong fibrous part of the sac
- Attached to the central tendon of the
diaphragm
- Attached in front to the sternum by
sternopericardial ligament.
FUNCTIONS:
1. Prevents overstretching of the heart
2. Provides protection
3. Anchors the heart in the
mediastinum
2. SEROUS PERICARDIUM
2 Layers:
I. Parietal Layer:
- lines the fibrous pericardium
- reflected around the roots of the
great vessels
II. Visceral Layer:
• Closely applied to the heart
• A.k.a. EPICARDIUM
THE HEART WALL:
3 LAYERS:

3. Epicardium – external layer

4. Myocardium – middle layer
5. Endocardium – inner layer
EPICARDIUM:
• Visceral layer of the serous
pericardium
• The epicardium is the outer layer of the
wall of the heart.
• The visceral pericardium apparently
produces the pericardial fluid, which
lubricates motion between the inner and
outer layers of the pericardium.
FUNCTION:
• Provides an outer protective layer for
the heart.
MYOCARDIUM
• Myocardium is the muscular middle
layer of the wall of the heart.
• It is composed of spontaneously
contracting cardiac muscle fibers
which allow the heart to contract.
FUNCTION:
• Stimulates heart contractions to pump
blood from the ventricles and relaxes
the heart to allow the artria to receive
blood.
ENDOCARDIUM:
• The endocardium is the innermost
layer of tissue.
• Provides a smooth lining for the
chambers of the heart
• Covers the valve of the heart
FUNCTION:
• Controls myocardial function
• Purkinje fibers are located in the
endocardium. They participate in the
contraction of the heart muscle.
HISTOLOGIC APPEARANCE OF
CARDIAC MUSCLE TISSUE
• type of involuntary striated muscle found in
the walls of the heart, specifically the
myocardium.
• Cardiac muscle cells are known as cardiac
myocytes.
• Cardiac muscle is one of three major types of
muscle, the others being skeletal and smooth
muscle.
• The cells that comprise cardiac muscle are
sometimes seen as intermediate between
these two other types in terms of
appearance, structure, metabolism,
excitation-coupling and mechanism of
contraction.
• Cardiac muscle shares similarities with
skeletal muscle with regard to its striated
appearance and contraction, with both
differing significantly from smooth muscle
cells.
• Coordinated contraction of cardiac muscle
cells in the heart propel blood from the
atria and ventricles to the blood vessels of
the circulatory system.
• Cardiac muscle cells, like all tissues in the
body, rely on an ample blood supply to
deliver oxygen and nutrients and to
remove waste products such as
carbon dioxide.
CHAMBERS OF THE HEART:

1. LEFT ATRIUM
2. RIGHT ATRIUM
3. LEFT VENTRICLES
4. RIGHT VENTRICLES
ATRIA
• Upper 2 chambers
VENTRICLES
• Lower 2 chambers
• A wall of muscle called the septum separates
the left and right atria and the left and right
ventricles.
• The left ventricle is the largest and strongest
chamber in your heart.
• The left ventricle's chamber walls are only about
a half-inch thick, but they have enough force to
push blood through the aortic valve and into
your body.
RIGHT ATRIUM
• receives oxygen-depleted
(deoxygenated) blood from the body
via the superior vena cava,
inferior vena cava and coronary sinus
and pumps it through the
tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.

Tricuspid valve – a.k.a. Right

Atrioventricular Valve
RIGHT VENTRICLE
• Forms most of the anterior surface of
the heart.
• receives oxygen-depleted blood from
the right atrium and pumps it through
the pulmonary valve into the lungs via
the pulmonary artery.
LEFT ATRIUM
• Forms most of the base of the heart
• receives oxygen-rich blood from the
lungs via the pulmonary veins and
pumps it through the mitral valve into
the left ventricle.
LEFT VENTRICLE
• Forms apex of the heart
• receives oxygen-rich blood from the
lungs via the pulmonary veins and
pumps it through the mitral valve into
the left ventricle.
Chordae Tendineae
• Tendons linking the papillary muscles to
the tricuspid valve in the right ventricle
and the mitral valve in the left ventricle.
• As the papillary muscles contract and
relax, the chordae tendineae transmit the
resulting increase and decrease in tension
to the respective valves, causing them to
open and close.
• The chordae tendineae are string-like in
appearance and are sometimes referred
to as "heart strings."
Papillary Muscles
• The papillary muscles attach to the
lower portion of the interior wall of the
ventricles.
• They connect to the chordae tendineae,
which attach to the tricuspid valve in the
right ventricle and the mitral valve in the
left ventricle.
• The contraction of the papillary muscles
opens these valves. When the papillary
muscles relax, the valves close.
Tricuspid Valve
• The tricuspid valve separates the right
atrium from the right ventricle
• It opens to allow the de-oxygenated
blood collected in the right atrium to
flow into the right ventricle
• It closes as the right ventricle contracts,
preventing blood from returning to the
right atrium; thereby, forcing it to exit
through the pulmonary valve into the
pulmonary artery.
Mitral Value
• The mitral valve separates the left
atrium from the left ventricle.
• It opens to allow the oxygenated blood
collected in the left atrium to flow into
the left ventricle.
• It closes as the left ventricle contracts,
preventing blood from returning to the
left atrium; thereby, forcing it to exit
through the aortic valve into the aorta.
Superior Vena Cava

• The superior vena cava is one of the

two main veins bringing de-oxygenated
blood from the body to the heart.
• Veins from the head and upper body
feed into the superior vena cava, which
empties into the right atrium of the
heart.
Inferior Vena Cava

• The inferior vena cava is one of the

two main veins bringing de-
oxygenated blood from the body to
the heart.
• Veins from the legs and lower torso
feed into the inferior vena cava, which
empties into the right atrium of the
heart.
Pulmonary Valve

• The pulmonary valve separates the

right ventricle from the pulmonary
artery.
• As the ventricles contract, it opens to
allow the de-oxygenated blood
collected in the right ventricle to flow to
the lungs.
• It closes as the ventricles relax,
preventing blood from returning to the
heart.
Aortic Valve
• The aortic valve separates the left
ventricle from the aorta.
• As the ventricles contract, it opens to
allow the oxygenated blood collected
in the left ventricle to flow throughout
the body.
• It closes as the ventricles relax,
preventing blood from returning to the
heart.
BLOOD FLOW (in a nutshell)
• Blood enters the right atrium and passes through
the right ventricle.
• The right ventricle pumps the blood to the lungs
where it becomes oxygenated.
• The oxygenated blood is brought back to the
heart by the pulmonary veins which enter the left
atrium.
• From the left atrium blood flows into the left
ventricle.
• The left ventricle pumps the blood to the aorta
which will distribute the oxygenated blood to all
parts of the body.
• The ventricle on the right side of your heart
pumps blood from the heart to your lungs.
• When you breathe air in, oxygen passes from
your lungs through blood vessels where it’s
added to your blood.
• Carbon dioxide, a waste product, is passed
from your blood through blood vessels to your
lungs and is removed from your body when you
breathe air out.
• The atrium on the left side of your heart
receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs. The
pumping action of your left ventricle sends this
oxygen-rich blood through the aorta (a main
artery) to the rest of your body.
Heart Contraction and
Blood Flow