HEART ANATOMY

Size, Location, and Orientation

Enclosed in the mediastinum

Base (posteriorsuperior portion) and Apex (inferioranterior portion)

Coverings

1. pericardium

Function: protects the heart

anchors the heart to surrounding structures such as the diaphragm and the
great vessels
prevents overfilling of the heart with blood

heart wall

1. epicardium-the visceral layer of the serous pericardium. It is often infiltrated with

fat,especially in older people.

2.myocardium- consisting mainly of cardiac muscle and forms the bulk of the heart.

3.endocardium- covers the fibrous skeleton of the valves

heart chambers

atria ventricle
right atrium: make up most of the mass of the
receive blood from Superior and heart
Inferior Vena Cava the walls of the left ventricle are
Coronary Sinus (draining the 3X thicker than those of the right
myocardium) discharging chambers of the heart
left atrium: propel blood to Pulmonary Trunk
receive blood from Pulmonary (right ventricle), Aorta (left
Veins ventricle)
 pulmonary circuit Systemic circuit

functions strictly as functions as both

gas exchange gas and nutrient
the right side of the exchange
heart is the the left side of
pulmonary circuit the heart is the
pump systemic circuit
this is a short, low- pump
pressure circuit this is a long,
high-resistance
pathway through
the entire body
VALVES
Atrioventricular Valves
the valves close when the ventricular
pressure increases and forces blood
against the valve flaps
Tricuspid (right side)
Bicuspid (Mitral) (left side)
HEART PHYSIOLOGY
The intrinsic conduction system
Semilunar Valves
located between the ventricles and the
large arteries
these open when the pressure produced
by the contracting ventricle exceeds that
in the artery and close when the arterial
pressure exceeds the pressure produced
by the relaxing ventricle
Pulmonary (right side)
Aortic (left side)
Mechanical Events: The Cardiac Cycle

Cardiac Cycle

pressure in the heart is low and the blood is returning passively (70% of
ventricle filling occurs)
atria depolarize (P wave) and contract and force the remaining 30% of the
blood into the ventricles
the atria relax and remain in diastole through the rest of the cycle
the ventricles depolarize (QRS complex)

ventricles begin their contraction

ventricular pressure rises rapidly and the AV valves close
as ventricular pressure rises above arterial pressure the semilunar valves
open and the ventricles empty during the ventricular ejection phase

ventricular systole ends with the repolarization of the ventricles (T wave)

ventricles relax and ventricular pressure drops
semilunar valves close
the atria have been filling with blood since ventricular systole and when the
atrial pressure exceeds the ventricular pressure the AV valves open
ventricular filling begins again