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· William Harvey proved that the circulation system raised by Greek philosopher
Galen is wrong. He stated that Arteries and veins were part of a single
connected blood network; arteries pumped blood from the heart to the body;
veins returned blood to the heart.
· Human heart has four chambers: left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium and
right ventricle. Blood from vena cava is transported to right atrium, then
pumped to right ventricle, passing through atrium-ventricular valve; then
blood passes through semilunar valve and is pumped into pulmonary artery.
Blood from pulmonary vein is transported to left atrium and then pumped to
left ventricle and then into aorta. The left side of the heart will have a
much thicker muscular wall as it must pump blood much further.
· The double circulation: The left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood
around the body (systemic circulation). The right side of the heart pumps
deoxygenated blood to the lungs (pulmonary circulation). The reason to have
two circulation system is that lung cannot stand high pressure and pump the
blood into body.
Cardiac cycle
· def: one complete sequence of filling and pumping blood. It includes
contraction (blood pump out) and relaxation (blood fill in).
· 0.0 – 0.1 seconds
The atria contract causing a rapid but relatively small pressure increase,
which pumps blood from the atria to the ventricles, through the open
atrioventricular valves.
The semilunar valves are closed and blood pressure in the arteries
gradually drops to its minimum as blood continues to flow along them but
no more is pumped in.
· 0.1 – 0.15 seconds
The ventricles contract, with a rapid pressure build up that causes the
atrioventricular valves to close.
The semilunar valves remain closed.
· 0.15 – 0.4 seconds
The pressure in the ventricles rises above the pressure in the arteries
so the semilunar valves open and blood is pumped from the ventricles
into the arteries, transiently maximizing the arterial blood pressure.
Pressure slowly rises in the atria as blood drains into them from the
veins and they fill.
· 0.4 – 0.45 seconds
The contraction of the ventricular muscles wanes and pressure inside the
ventricles rapidly drops below the pressure in the arteries, causing the
semilunar valves to close.
The atrioventricular valves remain closed.
· 0.45 – 0.8 seconds
Pressure in the ventricles drops below the pressure in the atria so the
atrioventricular valves open.
Blood from the veins drains into the atria and from there into the
ventricles, causing a slow increase in pressure.
· arterial blood pressure: the force exerted by blood against the wall of the
vessel that encloses it
· Systolic pressure: highest pressure in artery (contracting)
Diastolic pressure: lowest pressure in artery (end of a beat)
· Measure blood pressure: the pressure of which flow stops and resumes are the
systolic and diastolic pressure.
Heart disease (coronary artery)
· A blockage in coronary artery can lead to a heart attack (myocardial
infarction) and coronary heart disease.
· Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries due to the
deposition of LDLs (low density lipoprotein). High levels of LDLs deposited
below endothelium and form foam cells with monocytes. Inflammation response
triggers smooth muscles cells to proliferate and migrate to foam tissue
forming a plaque. Blood vessel walls thus thicken and harden.
· Cause of atherosclerosis: high blood concentration of LDLs, chronic high
blood glucose concentration and consumption of trans fat.
· Consequence of atherosclerosis: hypertension; thick and hard walls; narrowing
diameter. These increase the risk of heart disease and kidney failure.
· Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease: age, genetics, obesity, diseases,
diet, exercise, sex, smoking