Download The Anatomy of the Heart

Advanced Cardiac Care in the Streets
Understanding EKGs
Ray Taylor
Valencia Community College
The Anatomy of the Heart
{ Structure }
Notice
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All rights reserved.
Slide show used with permission only for the
purposes of educating emergency medical
providers (EMTs and Paramedics)
No portion of this presentation may be reproduced,
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Anatomy of the Heart
 Objectives:
 Describe
the chambers of the heart
 Atria
 Ventricles
 Identify
the location, shape, and size of the
heart
 Name the layers of the heart
 Name the valves of the heart
Anatomy of the Heart
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Objectives [ continued ]
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Describe the structure and function of the blood
vessels
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Arteries
Veins
Capillaries
Describe the coronary circulation
 Discuss the concept of pulmonary circulation
 Discuss the concept of systemic circulation
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Anatomy of the Heart
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The Heart is muscle
Myocardium - heart
muscle
“Two-sided pump”
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Atrium [ atria ]
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Small upper chambers
Separated by interatrial
septum
Receiving chambers
Fill ventricles
Ventricles
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Lower chambers
Separated by
interventricular septum
Location, Size, and Shape of the
Heart
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Located in Mediastinum
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Lying in front of spinal
column, behind sternum,
and between lungs
2/3 lies to left of midline
sternum
Apex lies just above
diaphragm
Base lies at level of the
second-third rib
Size of owner’s closed fist
PMI
Cardiovascular Anatomy
 Tissue
Layers
 Endocardium
 Myocardium
 Pericardium
Visceral
Pericardium
 Parietal
Pericardium
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Layers of the Heart
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Pericardium closed, twolayered sac
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Parietal
Pericardium tough, nonelastic,
fibrous connective
tissue
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Visceral
Pericardium - thin,
serous inner layer of
pericardium
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Pericardial Fluid
The Heart Wall
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Epicardium - smooth
outer surface
contiguous with visceral
pericardium
 Myocardium - thick,
middle layer of the
heart, composed of cardiac
muscle cells, responsible for
ability to contract
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Endocardium innermost layer,
composed of connective
tissue
Valves of the Heart
Four valves allow
blood to flow in one
direction
 Two Sets
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Atrioventricular
Valves
 Semilunar Valves
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Cardiovascular Anatomy
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Valves
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Atrioventricular
Valves
 Tricuspid
Valve
 Mitral Valve
Semilunar Valves
 Aortic Valve
 Pulmonic
Valve
Chordae
Tendonae
Atrioventricular Valves
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Located between atria
and the ventricles
Allow flow from atria
into ventricles
Prevent flow backward
from ventricles
Tricuspid Valve - three
cusps - located between
right atrium / right ventricle
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Mitral / Bicuspid Valve has two cusps - located
between left atrium / left
ventricle
Semilunar Valves
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Prevent backflow of
blood into the
ventricles. Each valve
contains three
semilunar, or moonshaped, cusps.
Pulmonic Valve- located
between right ventricle
and pulmonary artery
Aortic Valve - located
between left ventricle
and trunk of aorta
Heart Valves Function
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Chamber pressure
governs opening and
closing of heart valves
Ventricular Systole [
contraction of ventricles ]
atrioventricular valves are
closed and semilunar
valves are open
Ventricular Diastole [
relaxation of ventricles ]
atrioventricular valves are
open and semilunar
valves are closed
Cardiovascular Anatomy
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Anatomy of the
Peripheral Circulation
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Blood vessels are the
“container” for fluid or
blood
General Structure
 Poiseuille’s Law
Arterial System
 Arteries, arterioles,
and capillaries
Venous System
 Veins, venules, and
capillaries
ARTERIES
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Thick wall and muscular
Function under high
pressure
Carry blood AWAY
FROM heart
Regulate blood pressure
by changes in peripheral
vascular resistance
Arteries - larger vessels
Arterioles - small vessels
Arterial Wall Layers
Arterial Wall Layers
Name
Layer
Tissue Type
Tunica intima
Innermost
Connective and elastic
Tunica media
Middle
Smooth muscle, elastic,
and collagen
Tunica adventitia
Outermost
Connective
VEINS
Vessels that carry
blood back to the
heart
 Venules - smaller
vessels
 Operate under low
pressure
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CAPILLARIES
Tiny blood vessels
whose walls are
thinnest of all
 Vast majority of gas
exchange occurs
 Circulation 
movement through a
course [ body ] that
leads back to initial
point [ heart ]
Cardiovascular Anatomy
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Coronary
circulation
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Right coronary
artery
Left coronary artery
 Left anterior
descending
 Circumflex
Collateral
Circulation
Pulmonary Circulation
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Blood flow between the
heart and lungs
 blood leaves heart
through right
ventricle, travels into
PULMONARY artery
to lungs, and back
through
PULMONARY veins
to left atrium
Systemic Circulation
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Blood flow between the
heart and body
 blood leaves the left
ventricle and travels
through the arteries,
capillaries, and veins
of the BODY
SYSTEM and back
to the right atrium
Thank you!