chapter 10 - the cardiovascular system

• Cardiovascular system - is responsible for distributing nutrients to cells and tissues throughout the body and for transporting waste products from the tissues to the organs of elimination
• Heart - muscular organ that pumps blood to all parts of the body
• Two upper chambers of heart: right and left atrium

  Two lower chambers of heart: right and left ventricles
• Tricuspid valve - located between the right atrium and the right ventricle
• Bicuspid valve - located between the left atrium and the left ventricle
• Semilunar valves - located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery and between the left ventricle and the aorta
• Three layers of the heart:

  • Pericardium
  • Visceral layer
  • Parietal layer
• Pericardium - two-layer sac covering the heart that is filled with pericardial fluid
• Visceral layer - lies closest to the myocardium
• Parietal layer - lines the pericardium
• Myocardium - middle, thick, muscular layer
• Endocardium - inner lining of the heart
• Blood vessels - tube-like structures that carry blood throughout the body
• Arteries - carry blood containing oxygen and other nutrients away from the heart to the cells
• Arterioles - smallest arteries
• Aorta - largest artery in the body
• Veins - carry blood containing carbon dioxide and other waste products to the heart
• Venules - smallest veins
• Venae cavae - largest veins in the body
• Two venae cavae:

  • Superior Vena Cava
  • Inferior Vena Cava
• Capillaries - connect arterioles with venules
• Circulatory system - another name for cardiovascular system
• Heart - the main organ of cardiovascular system and its main job is making the blood flow freely through your veins
• Kardia - Greek word for the root word of heart, cardium
• Three components of the heart:

  • layers
  • chambers
  • valves
• Pericardium - a fluid-filled sac that protects the heart
• Three major layers of pericardium:

  • Endocardium - the inner layer of the heart, lining the chambers and covering the valves
  • Epicardium - the outer layer of the heart
  • Myocardium - the actual heart muscle and makes up the thick middle layer
• Endo-: the Greek prefix for "within"
• Epi-: the Greek prefix for "on"
• Myo-: the Greek prefix meaning "muscle"
• Two types of chambers:

  • Atrium - is taken from the Greek word atrion, meaning "hall"
  • Ventricles - is taken from the Latin word venter, meaning "little belly"
• Septa - a membrane that separates the heart into four chambers
• Interatrial septum - separates the two atria
• Interventricular septum - separates the two ventricles
• Valves - are the gatekeepers of the heart, making sure the blood flows in the correct direction
• Bicuspid valve - has two flaps
• Pulmonary semilunar valve and aortic semilunar valve - both have a half-moon shape
• Tricuspid valve - has three flaps, keeping blood moving forward
• atri/o - atria
• cardi/o - heart