Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular System

• The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels.
• The heart is covered by the pericardium.

Heart Structure

• The heart has four chambers: right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, and left ventricle.
• The heart has four valves: tricuspid valve, mitral valve, pulmonary valve, and aortic valve.

Blood Flow

• Deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cavae (SVC & IVC).
• Blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve.
• Blood is pumped from the right ventricle to the lungs through the pulmonary valve and pulmonary artery.
• Oxygenated blood returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins, which open into the left atrium.
• Blood flows from the left atrium to the left ventricle through the mitral valve.
• Blood is pumped from the left ventricle to the rest of the body through the aortic valve and aorta.

Blood Vessels

• Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the periphery, except for the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood.
• Veins carry deoxygenated blood from the periphery to the heart, except for the pulmonary veins, which carry oxygenated blood.

Respiratory System

• The upper respiratory passages consist of the nose, nasopharynx, and larynx.
• The lower respiratory passages consist of the trachea, bronchi, and lungs.

Nose

• The nose opens into the face through the anterior nasal openings.
• The nose is divided into right and left halves, which open posteriorly into the posterior nasal openings.

Nasopharynx

• The nasopharynx lies behind the nasal cavity and conveys air from the nose to the larynx.

Larynx

• The larynx is the organ of phonation and connects the nasopharynx to the trachea.
• The larynx contains vocal cords, which are responsible for speech and phonation.

Trachea and Bronchi

• The trachea connects the larynx to the lungs.
• The trachea divides into the right and left bronchi, each connected to the corresponding lung.

Lungs

• The lungs are essential organs for respiration and are conical in shape.
• The right lung is shorter and broader due to its relation to the liver and has three lobes.
• The left lung is longer and narrower and has two lobes.