‫منــارة التعلــيم الصــيدلي فـــي مصــر ومحيطــها اإلقليـــمي‬

‫أول كلية صيدلة معتمدة من الهيئة القومية لضمان جودة التعليم واالعتماد‬

Anatomy-
MDC203
Cardiovascular System
-
- Student (1) Name: Salma Galal

Student (1) ID: 20192116

National ID: 30107028800305

Student Email: salma.ga.mokhtar@std.pharma.cu.edu.eg

- Student (2) Name: Lobna Mohammed

Student (2) ID: 20192123

National ID: 30108208800965

Student Email: Lobna.mo.abdallah@std.pharma.cu.edu.eg

- Student (3) Name: Hadeel Hassan

Student (3) ID: 20192120

National ID/ Passport number: 30206108801109

Student Email: hadeel.ha.taha@std.pharma.cu.edu.eg

- Student (4) Name: Waleed Suleiman

Student (4) ID: 20192078

National ID: 30109220100231

Student Email: waleed.su.abdelaziz@std.pharma.cu.edu.eg

Student Level: 1
Abstract:

In this review article, you will read about the cardiovascular system, which is a vital
system in human beings. We will be explaining its importance for the survival of humans,
its functions, all the parts of the system, and their contribution to it. You will read about
the heart, its blood supply, and its conductive system. You will also read about body
circulation and the diseases that might affect the cardiovascular system and how to treat
or prevent them.

Introduction:

All living organisms including plants, animals, simple organisms, and of course human
beings have a transport system that is responsible for transporting materials such as
respiratory gases, nutrients, and waste products. The cardiovascular system or the
circulatory system is the transport system in the human body, consisting of the heart,
blood vessels, and the blood itself. The main function of the cardiovascular system is the
transportation of blood, gases, nutrients, and hormones all over the body to the cells and
from them. Transportation is necessary for all living organisms especially for humans and
advanced organisms to maintain a constant internal environment, as the cardiovascular
system helps other organs and body systems doing their functions perfectly.

The heart:

Size:
The heart is approximately the size of your fist. It
weighs around 7-12 ounces, taking into
consideration the gender change, males have
larger and of greater mass hearts compared to
females.
Location:
The heart is located within the thoracic cavity, between the lungs in a space known as the
mediastinum, just behind and slightly left of the breastbone (sternum). The apex is to the
left side of the sternum between fourth and fifth ribs. The slight deviation of the apex to
the left is shown in a recession in the medial surface of the inferior lobe of the left lung,
 called the cardiac notch. It’s wrapped by a tough membrane called pericardium which
occupies a gap called the pericardial cavity. It’s been resembled as pinecone or conifer
cone due to the similarities of shape. Broad at the superior surface and tapering at the
apex.
Function:
The main aim of the heart is to pump oxygenated blood to all body tissues for vital
processes and dispose of any toxic waste products and carbon dioxide by being brought
back to the lungs.
Description:
The heart consists of 4 chambers. 2 on the right and 2 on the left separated by a septum.
Each side has an upper atrium and a lower ventricle. The left ventricle is the largest and
strongest of all chambers as it needs a giant force to pump blood to all body parts.

The heart is surrounded by 4 main vessels:

 Vena cava (carrying deoxygenated blood from cells to the heart),

 Pulmonary artery (carrying deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs),
 Pulmonary vein (carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart),
 Aorta (pumping oxygenated blood from the heart to all cells).

Both veins (superior and inferior vena cava) and arteries (aorta and pulmonary trunk) are
attached to the superior surface of the heart, base; which is located at the third costal
cartilage. Moreover, there are 4 valves that help regulate blood flow in the heart. The
tricuspid valve between right atria and right ventricle, the pulmonary valve between right
ventricle and lungs, the mitral valve between lungs and left ventricle, and last but not least,
the aortic valve between left ventricle and aorta

Blood supply of the heart:

The heart gets blood from the coronary arteries.

All the arteries including their branches
provide the heart with blood. Two important
coronary arteries branch from the aorta: the left
and right coronary arteries. They stem from the left and right aortic sinuses in the aorta.
 The aortic sinuses are minute openings located inside the aorta behind the left and right
cusps of the aortic valve. The back-flow of blood fills the valve pockets when the heart is
in a relaxed state, thus allowing the blood to enter the coronary arteries.

The two major arteries:

I. Left coronary artery:

Branches into:
 Left anterior descending (lad) (also called the anterior interventricular artery).
 Left marginal artery (lma)
 Left circumflex artery (cx).

Supplies:

 The left atrium and side and back of the left ventricle (cx)
 The front and bottom of the left ventricle and the front of the septum (lad)
II. Right coronary artery:
Branches into:
 The right marginal artery (rma) anteriorly
 The posterior interventricular artery (piv) posteriorly
Supplies:

 The right atrium

 The right ventricle
 The bottom part of the ventricles and the back of the septum

Conductive system of the heart:

In the beginning, SA node generates the first

electrical impulses then transmitted through the
internodal pathways causing contraction of the
atrium -cardiomyocytes help in theses
contractions - then these impulses reach the av
node. The AV node controls the transmission of
these impulses to the ventricle when the atrium
ejects all the blood into the ventricles. The AV
node delivers theses impulses to ventricles
through the bundle of his "ac bundle" - this
bundle is divided into right and left bundle branches - and purkinje fibers.
 Cardiac
codution system
cosists of :

Nodes Fibers Cardiomyocytes

Sinoatrial node Atrioventricular Internodal Bundle of Bundle

Purkinje fibers
(SA) node (AV) pathways His"AV bundle" branches

Nodes:

i. Sinoatrial node (sa)

o Flat "25mm”, crescent-like, located in the right atrium near the superior vena cava.
o Connecting superior caval vein with the right
atrium.
o It's the neutral pacemaker of the heart.
o From here the electrical impulses begin to
stimulate contraction.
ii. Atrioventricular node (av)
o Hemi-oval-shaped, located in the
posteroinferior part of the interatrial septum.
o It's also called the secondary pacemaker of
the heart.
o It is the only pathway by which the electrical impulses can cross from the atrium to
the ventricles.

Fibers:

i. Internodal pathways
o There are connecting sinoatrial node (sa) with atrioventricular node (av).
o Located in the right atrium.
ii. Bundle of his "av bundle"
o It's connecting the atrioventricular node (av) with bundle branches.
o Located in the interventricular septum.
iii. Bundle branches
 o Right bundle branch: send the impulses to the right ventricle.
o Left bundle branch: send the impulses to the left ventricle.

iv. Purkinje fibers

o Located in the inner ventricular walls of the heart.
o Help and stimulate contraction.

Cardiomyocytes:

o They are elongated cylindrical cells and striated, cardiomyocytes are attached
through intercalated discs.
o The responsible component for generating contraction, and responsible for
controlling of rhythmic beating of the heart.

Body circulation:

It’s a repeated cycle of exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and

carbon dioxide between the blood and different tissues of the
body through the cardiovascular system (heart & blood
vessels).

There are 3 types of blood circulation in the human body:

 Pulmonary circulation:
As the systemic circulation ends, the pulmonary circulation beings when the
oxygen-poor blood passes from the right ventricle through the pulmonary artery
that is branched into two branches that reach both lungs where the exchange of
oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs, then the oxygenated blood leaves the lungs and
returns to the left atrium via the four pulmonary veins.
 Systemic circulation:
Once the oxygenated blood leaves the lungs and returns to the left ventricle through
the left atrium, the systemic circulation begins as the oxygenated blood passes
through the aorta artery to reach all different tissues of the body to supply them
with oxygen by gases exchange, then the deoxygenated blood returns to the right
atrium by superior vena cava and inferior vena cava.
  Portal circulation:
The venous blood that is collected from specific parts (the spleen, the right half of
the colon and the small intestine) passes through the liver via the portal vein to
permit the liver to process and to detoxify substances from the gastrointestinal tract,
then the blood leaves the liver by passing through the hepatic veins that end in the
inferior vena cava, returning to the right atrium.

Applied anatomy of cardiovascular (diseases):

There are several diseases that affect the cardiovascular system in many ways.

I. Diseases affecting the heart directly:

 Heart attack or myocardial infraction:
Ischemic heart due to deficiency of oxygen caused by blockage of coronary arteries.
 Mitral Valve prolapse:
The mitral valve present in the left atrium doesn’t close fully, instead they bulge while
contracting to form a leak causing mitral valve regurgitation.
 Arrhythmia and Dysrhythmia:
Irregular heartbeat or rhythm.
Arrhythmia means no rhythm while dysrhythmia means abnormal rhythm This
happens when the electrical signals that control the heartbeat are not functioning well.
 Atrial Fibrillation:
Abnormal heart rhythm which increases the chances of stroke.
 Heart Failure:
The heart doesn’t pump strongly, its relaxed, which causes your body to store more
salt and water causing swelling and shortness of breath.
 Pulmonary Stenosis:
Is narrowing of the pulmonary artery so reduced blood flows from the right ventricle
to the lungs for oxygenation.
 Rheumatic Heart Disease:
Most common among kids, causes inflammation in the heart-damaging the valves.
II. Diseases affecting arteries and vessels:
 Peripheral Artery Disease:
 It causes narrowing of veins reaching the cells in arms legs or feet. Hence, swelling
and varicose veins. It occurs more often to older people.
 Aortic Aneurysms:
A case of an enlarged artery which could rupture causing internal bleeding.
 Atherosclerosis (hardened arteries):
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats or cholesterol (plaque) on artery walls or blood
vessels constricting the lumen which restricts the blood flow. This may cause a blood
clot or hypertension leading to strokes.

Conclusion:

CVD is a major cause of death all around the world, but there are ways to prevent and
treat it. Marinating body weight and exercising regularly are some of the most
efficient prevention ways. Having a heart-healthy food diet and holding back from
smoking can also ensure a healthy heart. Some treatments that are suggested by
doctors to patients of CVD include medication, surgery, or cardiac rehab. The
treatments mainly aim to relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of the disease
happening again.

References:

(15 Circulatory System Diseases: Symptoms and Risk Factors, n.d.)

(Blood Physiology & Circulation - Edited by Kara Rogers (Chapter 2 - The Dynamics
of Blood))
(Cardiovascular (Heart) Diseases: Types and Treatments, n.d.)
(Cardiovascular Disease: Types, Symptoms, Prevention, and Causes, n.d.)
(Coronary Arteries | Texas Heart Institute, n.d.)
(Coronary Arteries: How It Works & Images, n.d.)
(Heart Anatomy | Anatomy and Physiology, n.d.)
(Heart Attack: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments, n.d.)
(Heart Information Center: Heart Anatomy | Texas Heart Institute, n.d.)
(Human Heart: Anatomy, Function & Facts | Live Science, n.d.)
(Introduction to Human Anatomy for Pharmacy Students (Anatomy & Embryology
Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University)
(Portal Circulation | Definition of Portal Circulation by Medical Dictionary, n.d.)
(Problem: Mitral Valve Prolapse | American Heart Association, n.d.)
(Raynaud’s Disease | Raynaud’s Syndrome | MedlinePlus, n.d.)
(Silent Ischemia | Texas Heart Institute, n.d.)
(Systemic and Pulmonary Circulations ( Read ) | Biology | CK-12 Foundation, n.d.)
(Tang et al., 2013)
(Vasculature of the Heart - TeachMeAnatomy, n.d.)