Heart and Great Vessels

heart

covered in a double layer of serous membranes called visceral and parietal pericardium (thin membranes)

fibrous pericardium

tough fibrous sac that covers the heart and serous membrane

divisions of heart

divided into right and left sides and has 4 chambers (2 atria and 2 ventricles)

anatomical position

heart is rotated towards left (right ventricle is most anterior chamber; left atrium is most posterior chamber)

heart function

pump blood throughout the body

right side of heart

receives blood from veins of the body and pumps blood to the lungs

pulmonary circulation

blood traveling to and from the lungs is part of the pulmonary circulation; arteries carry deoxygenated blood and veins carry oxygenated blood

systemic circulation

blood traveling to and from body tissues is part of the systemic circulation; arteries carry oxygenated blood and veins carry deoxygenated blood

heart valves

allows blood to flow from one chamber to the next; prevents backward flow of blood (produced lub-dub sound when closing); divided into 4 heart valves (atrioventricular and semilunar)

atrioventricular (AV) valves

between the atria and ventricles; includes tricuspid valve and bicuspid/mitral valve

tricuspid valve

between right atrium and right ventricle

bicuspid/mitral valve

between the left atrium and left ventricle

semilunar valves

between the ventricles and their outflow tracts (named for half-mooned shape); includes pulmonary valve and aortic valve

pulmonary valve

between the right ventricles and pulmonary trunks

aortic valve

between the left ventricle and aorta

cardiac blood flow

atria

much thinner walled than the ventricles

interatrial septum

separates left and right atriums

pectinate muscles

raised muscles in the mostly smooth-walled atria

right atrium

contains openings for superior vena cava (SVC), inferior vena cava (IVC), and coronary sinus; outflow is gated by tricuspid valve

auricle

pocket-like flap (another term for atrium)

left atrium

contains openings for the 4 pulmonary veins; outflow gated by the mitral valve

ventricles

thicker walls than atria

interventricular septum

separates right and left ventricles

papillary muscles

muscles in ventricles which are attached to cords called chordae tendineae

chordae tendineae

cords that are attatched to valve leaflets of the atrioventricular valves (right ventricle- tricuspid valve; left ventricle-mitral valve)

function of papillary muscles

prevents backward flow of blood through the heart by keeping AV valves closed during a heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts (via the chordae tendineae)

great vessels

large blood vessels that enter/exit the heart

great vessels carrying deoxygenated blood

superior vena cava (SVC), inferior vena cava (IVC), pulmonary trunk

superior vena cava

collects blood from the head, neck, upper limb, and chest wall; formed by the union of the right and left brachiocephalic veins

inferior vena cava

collects blood from the abdomen, pelvis, and lower limbs

great vessels carrying oxygenated blood

pulmonary veins (4), aorta

pulmonary veins

4 pulmonary veins carry blood from the lungs (2 from each lung) to the left atrium

aorta

distributes blood to all parts of the body (via many branching arteries); shaped like a candy cane (makes a 180 degree turn and travels down into the abdomen)

ascending aorta

gives off the right and left coronary arteries; branches in these arteries travel to surface of heart itself to supply it

aortic arch

arch portion shave 3 branches; (right to left) brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, left subclavian artery

brachiocephalic trunk

divides into right subclavian artery and right common carotid artery

right subclavian artery

supplies the right upper limb

right common carotid artery

travels up the right side of the neck and supplies the head

left common carotid artery

travels up the left side of the neck and supplies the head

left subclavian artery

supplies the left upper limbs

coronary circulation

the heart's own blood supply

coronary arteries

distribute blood throughout various regions of the heart

coronary veins

collect deoxygenated blood from heart and returns it to right atrium through the coronary sinus

coronary sinus

large vein on the back of the heart which returns the deoxygenated blood from the coronary veins to the right atrium