The Cardiovascular System: The Heart Pulmonary Arteries - carrying blood to each of the

lungs.
“Heart” Latin term, “Kardia.”
Pulmonary Capillaries - are tiny, vessels then branch
Cardiology - is the study of the heart.
many times, to eventually give way for.
Cardiologists - are the physicians who deal primarily
Pulmonary Veins - bring oxygenated blood from the
with the heart.
lungs into the left arium, which pumps the blood into
Heart - is located within the thoracic cavity, in a space the left ventricle.
between the lungs known as the mediastinum.
Superior Vena Cava & Inferior Vena Cava - two major
Pericardium - the heart is encased in a tough systemic veins.
membrane.
Fibrous Pericardium - is made up of tough, dense,
Apex - the inferior tip of the heart. irregular connective tissue that protects the heart and
maintains its position in the thorax. (Distinct Sublayer
Cardiac Notch - the left lung accommodates the heart of the pericardium)
with a depression in its medial surface.
Inner Serous Pericardium - it consists of two layers, is
Truncus Arteriosus - the most superior, tube of five more delicate than fibrous Pericardium.
distinct zones of the early embryonic heart.
Parietal Pericardium – a simple squamous epithelial
Bulbus Cordis & Ventricle - will eventually be the most layer which is fused to the inner side of the fibrous
inferior parts of the heart, the left and right ventricles. pericardium.

Embryonic Atrium & Sinus Venosus – the most inferior Epicardium - is bound to the heart and is part of the
zones. These areas, after the folding of the organ, will heart wall.
become the atria, which are superior in the adult
heart. Pericardial Cavity - the two serous pericardium
membranes are separated by a fluid-filled.
Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) - are anatomical
heart issues present from birth and can result if these Auricle - is a superficial pouchlike extension of each
embryonic steps are incomplete or atypical ways. atrium.

Atrium/ Atria - act as receiving chambers, they receive Sulcus/ Sulci - prominent along the surfaces of the
venous blood and contract to push the blood into the heart is a series of grooves, “earlike.”
ventricles.
Coronary Vessels - are nestled within the sulci.
Arteries - carries carry blood from the ventricles away
Coronary Sulcus - is located between the atria and
from the heart.
ventricles.
Veins - return blood to the atria.
Anterior Intervascular Sulcus - on the anterior surface
Pulmonary Circuit - transports blood to and from the of the heart.
lungs.
Interior Intervascular Sulcus - on the posterior
Deoxygenated - blood leaving the heart in pulmonary surface.
circuit is low in oxygen.
Base - on the posterior surface of the heart, you can
Oxygenated - blood returning to the heart from the note that the pulmonary veins converge to make a
lungs. broad, flat superior surface.

Pulmonary Trunk - the right ventricle pumps Myocardium - the middle and thickest layer,
deoxygenated blood into. composed almost entirely of cardiac muscle cells.
Hypertrophies - in response to the need for more Right Atrioventicular Valve/ Tricuspid Valve - the
force. blood from the right ventricle passes through the
three flaps or cusps.
Endocardium - the innermost layer of the heart wall.
Chordae Tendineae/ Tendinous Cords - each flap of
Endothelium - is made of simple squamous the valve is attached to.
epithelium.
Papillary Muscle - extends from the floor of the
Septa/ Septum - the heart divided into four distinct ventricle.
chambers by walls.
Trabeculae Carneae - the walls of the ventricle are
Interatrial Septum - located between the two atria. rough with ridges of cardiac muscle.
Fossa Ovalis - typically, in an adult heart, the Moderator Band - a bridge of cardiac muscle, also
interatrial septum bears an oval-shaped depression. covered by endocardium.
Foreman Ovale - a remnant of an opening in the fetal Pulmonary Semilunar Valve/ Pulmonary Valve/
heart. Pulmonic Valve/ Right Semilunar Valve - prevents
Septum Primum - a flap tissue, closes the foramen backflow from the pulmonary trunk.
ovale and establishes the separation of the Left Atrioventicular Valve/ Mitral Valve/ Bicuspid
deoxygenated blood in the right side of the heart Valve - this blood flow is passive during a time when
from the oxygenated blood in the left side of the both the atria and ventricles are relaxed.
heart.
Aortic Semilunar valve/ Aortic Valve - the left
Interventricular Septum - is substantially thicker than ventricle, ejects blood into the aorta through.
the interatrial septum and contributes to the much
greater pressure generated when the ventricles Cardiomyocyte - requires a reliable supply of oxygen
contract. and nutrients and a way to remove waste.

Fibrous Skeleton - contains four openings that allow Coronary Arteries - supply blood to the myocardium
blood to move from the atria into the ventricles and and other components of the heart.
from the ventricles into the pulmonary trunk and
aorta. (Electrically nonconductive) Left Coronary Artery - distributes blood to the left side
of the heart, and the interventicular.
Valve - a specialized structure that ensures one-way
flow of blood. Circumflex Artery - supplies the left atrium and
posterior walls of the left ventricle.
Atrioventricular Valves - the valves between the atria
and ventricles. Anterior Interventicular Artery/ Left Anterior
Ascending Aartery (LAD) - trails the anterior
Semilunar Valves - the valves at the openings that interventicular sulcus and supplies the interventicular
lead to the pulmonary trunk and aorta. septum and the majority of the anterior-inferior heart
wall.
Coronary Sinus – is one of the three vessels that
returns deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the Right Coronary Artery - proceeds along the coronary
heart from the systemic circulation. sulcus and distributes blood to the right atrium,
portions of both ventricles, and the heart conduction
Pectinate Muscles - the smooth surface would system.
suddenly give way to rough, prominent ridges of the
muscle. Marginal Arteries - supply blood to the superficial
portions of the right ventricle.
Venous Return - occurs while the atria are relaxed,
passing through the atrioventricular valves and filling
the ventricles mostly by gravity.
Posterior Interventicular Artery/ Posterior Descending Atrioventicular Node (AV) Node - is a second clump of
Artery - it runs along the posterior position of the specialized myocardial conductive cells, located in the
interventicular sulcus toward the apex of the heart. inferior of the right atrium.

Coronary Veins - drain the heart wall and generally Atrioventicular Bundle/ Bundle of His - proceeds
parallel the coronary arteries in location. through the interventicular septum.

Great Cardiac Vein - can be seen on the anterior Atrioventicular Bundle Branches/ Bundle Branches - is
surface of the heart following the interventicular believed to allow tension to develop on the chordae
sulcus. tindeae prior to right ventricular contractions.

Posterior Cardiac Vein - is the companion vessel of the Purkinjie Fibers - are conductive fibers that spread the
circumflex artery. impulse throughout the ventricle walls.

Middle Cardiac Vein - is the companion vessel of the Spontaneous Depolarization/ Prepotential
posterior interventicular artery. Depolarization - is what gives the heart
autorhythmicity.
Small Cardiac Vein - is the companion vessel of the
right coronary artery and drains the blood from the Depolarization - preparation for contraction.
posterior surface of the right atrium and ventricle.
Repolarization -preparation to rest.
Anterior Cardiac Veins - parallel the small cardiac
arteries and drain the anterior surface of the right Bradycardia - a condition of slow heart rate.
ventricle. Refractory Periods - required for the cardiac muscle
Autorhythmicity - ability to initiate an electrical cells to pump blood effectively before they are
potential at a fixed rate that spreads rapidly from cell capable of firing for a second.
to cell to trigger contraction. Electrocardiogram (ECG/ EKG) - tracing of electric
Heart Rate (HR) - is limited by the heart’s signals.
autorhythmicity center, but the rate is modulated by Fibrillation - hearts beats in a wild, uncoordinated
the endocrine and nervous system, as we will read manner, which prevents it from being able to pump
about later in this chapter. effectively.
Myocardial Contractile Cells - constitute the bulk (99 Artificial Pacemaker - delivers electrical impulses to
percent) of the cells in the myocardium. the heart muscle.
Myocardial Conducting Cells - (1 percent of the cells) Cardiac Cycle - the period of time and set of events
form the conduction system of the heart. that begins with contraction of the atria and ends
Cardiac Muscle Cells - are branched or forked, with the relaxation of the ventricles.
typically connecting to more than one cardiomyocyte Atrial Diastole - refers to when the atria are relaxed.
neighbor on at least one of its ends.
Ventricular Systole - refers to ventricular contraction.
Intercalated Discs - are dense with protein, so they
appear dark on the photomircograph. End-Diastolic Volume (EDV) (Preload) - blood in a
resting adult in a standing position.
Sinoatrial (SA) Node - normal cardiac rhythm is
established, Known as the pacemaker of the heart. Isovolumic Contraction (Isovolumetric Contraction) -
early face of ventricular contraction.
Sinus Rhythm - normal electrical pattern followed by
contraction of the heart. Ventricular Ejection Phase - second phase of
ventricular systole.
Intermodal Pathway - conduction cells, toward the
atrioventricular node.
End-Systolic Volume - blood remaining in the ventricle
following contraction.

Isovolumic Ventricular Relaxation Phase - early phase

of ventricular diastole.

Discrotic Notch - momentary dip in aortic pressure.

Late Ventricular Relaxation - second phase of

ventricular diastole.

Heart Sounds - referred to as S1, and S2. S1, is the

sound created by the closing of the atrioventricular
valves during ventricular contraction and is normally
described as a “lub,” or first heart sound.

Murmur - unusual sound, is caused by the turbulent

flow of the blood.

Cardiac Output (CO) - is a measurement of the

amount of blood pumped by each ventricle in one
minute.

Stroke Volume (SV) - are regulated independently and

cardiac output is the value of physiological
importance.

CO = HR x SV

Echocardiogram - when SV is normally being

measured.

Ejection Fraction - useful calculations, in which the

portion of the blood that is pumped or ejected from
the heart with each contraction.

Cardiac Reserve - the difference between maximum

and resting CO.

Positive Chronotropic Factor - a factor that speeds

heart rate.

Negative Chronotropic Factor - a factor that slows the

heart rate.

Frank-Starling Mechanism - relationship between

ventricular stretch and contraction has been stated.

Afterload - refers to the tension that the ventricles

must develop to pump blood effectively against any
resistance in the vascular system.