Cardiovascular System

 Cardiovascular System
o Cardiovascular system is a closed system of tubes which consists of heart
and blood vessels.
o William Harvey (1628) discovered the circulation of the blood.
 Circulation
o Two circuits
 The pulmonary circulation
 The systemic circulation

 The Pulmonary Circulation

o The blood passes from the heart through the pulmonary arteries (CO2) to
the lungs and returns through the pulmonary veins (O2) to the heart.
 The Systemic Circulation
o From the heart, the blood passes through the arteries to all parts of the
body and returns to the heart through the superior and inferior vena cava
and cardiac veins.

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 Types of Blood Vessels
(Angiology - study of blood and lymphatic vessels)
o Arteries
 Large or Elastic or Conducting Arteries
 Aorta, brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid and left
subclavian artery and pulmonary arteries
 Their walls contain elastic tissue
o Medium-Sized / Muscular / Distributing Arteries
 Continuation of the elastic arteries

 Their walls contain more smooth muscle.

 Branches arise from the main trunk at

 Acute angle (E.g. Superior mesenteric artery)
 At right angle (E.g. Renal arteries)
 At obtuse angle (E.g. Recurrent arteries)
 They differ in rate of blood flow and arteriosclerosis usually occurs in
a branch near its origin.
o Arterioles Are the smallest division of the arteries
 Diameter is less than 100 μm (0.1 mm).

 The walls are relatively thick in relation to the small lumen

 Consist mostly of smooth muscle
 The arterioles provide the greatest resistance to the flow of blood
 Their constriction serves to reduce the pressure of the blood before it
enters the capillaries.

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 o Capillaries (capillus = hair)
 Communicating link between arterioles & venules
 Act as a semi-permeable membrane (exchange)
 ½ - 1 mm long and 7 μ or more in diameter
 Three different types –
 Continuous capillaries - muscle
 Fenestrated capillaries - kidney, endocrine gland and intestine.
 Discontinuous capillaries (sinusoid) - liver, spleen.
 The cornea, the epidermis and hyaline cartilage do not have
capillaries.
o Cavernous Tissue
 It is the numerous blood-filled spaces
 Lined with endothelium
 Separated by fibrous septa containing smooth muscle
 E.g. Erectile tissue
 Corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum of the penis
 Corpora cavernosa of the clitoris
 Lining of the nasal cavity

 Veins
o Venules
 Small sized vessels
 Collect blood from the capillary plexus
 Join similar vessels to form vein
o Superficial veins
 Run independently of arteries in subcutaneous tissue

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o Deep veins
 Accompany the arteries and have the same name
 Medium sized arteries usually below the elbow and knee are often
accompanied by two veins, one on each side (venae comitantes)
o Venous return to the heart
 Mostly by way of vena cavae
 Alternate pathways which do not accompany the arteries are
 Azygos system
 Vertebral system
 Portal system
o Valves
 Valves are present in many veins
 Prevent the reverse flow of blood
 Consist of one to three cusps

 Directed toward the heart

 Numerous in the veins of the limbs

 Absent in most veins of the trunk, portal and vertebral systems

 Superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, veins of the head and neck
(including the ophthalmic veins and the dural sinuses), vertebral,
cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic and pelvic veins and portal vein do not
have true valves

o Varicose Veins

 Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted
 When veins become varicose, the cusps of the valves no longer meet
properly, and the valves do not work (valvular incompetence)
 This allows blood to flow backwards and they enlarge even more

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 Arterio-Venous Anastomosis or Shunt
o Arterioles communicate directly with venules (by-pass the capillaries)
 Prevent loss of heat - In skin of the palm of the hand, skin of terminal
phalanges (fingertips) known as Glomus bodies, skin of the nose, lips
and eyelids, tip of the tongue and in the intestine
 Anastomosis
o Arteries anastomose with each other
 E.g.
 Hand and foot (palmar and plantar arch)
 Base of the brain (arterial circle)
 Around the joints (around the elbow or knee)

o Provide
 Collateral circulation if one artery is occluded
 Equalization between two arteries
 End Arteries
o Anatomical End Artery
 Arteries that do not anastomose with neighbouring arteries
 If artery is occluded it would cause serious nutritional disturbances
resulting in death (necrosis) of the tissue
 E.g. Central retinal artery and its occlusion result in blindness.
o Functional End Artery
 An artery anastomosing so poorly with neighbouring artery that an
adequate blood supply is not maintained after its occlusion
 E.g. Arteries supplying segments of the brain, kidney, heart spleen and
intestine.
o Vasa vasorum
 Blood vessels that supply nutrient to blood vessels

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 ARTERY VEIN

1. Carry oxygenated blood away from 1. Carry deoxygenated blood towards

the heart the heart

2. Yellowish or bluish colour in living 2. Dark blue in living

3. Walls are thick to withstand 3. Walls are thinner to withstand little

pressure from the lumen pressure from the lumen

4. Diameters are larger than those of

4. Diameters are small
the corresponding arteries

5. O2 content in the blood is high

5. O2 content of blood in them is low
(except in the pulmonary artery)

6. The blood spurts out when the

6. The blood oozes out when vein is
artery is cut. Its cut ends retract
cut.
and thus the bleeding stops
7. Their thinner wall collapse if blood
7. Their thicker walls do not collapse
drains out of them after death
after death.

8. Characterized by pulsation 8. Do not pulsate

9. Valves are present, to prevent

9. They have no valves
backflow of blood

10.The flow of blood is more rapid 10.The flow of blood is slower

11.Their structure is fairly constant 11.Their structure is les constant and

and less numerous more numerous than arteries