Chapter 9

The Mamalian
Heart

Structure

Shape:

Cone (apex pointed left)

Size:

Fist

Mass:

300-500g

Location:

Thoracic cavity (left) *except Dextrocardia

Enveloped in pericardium

Muscle:

Myocardium (Cardiac muscle) joined by intercalated discs

for rapid nerve Impulse transmission. Mamalian heart Notes.doc
Myogenic Self-excitable (Contract and relax naturally
without nerve stimulation)

Structure

Left atrium

Chambers:

2 atrium - receives blood from vein

2 ventricles - pumps blood out of the
heart into arteries
Left
ventricle
Right atrium
Septum
Right ventricle

Atria wall

Ventricle wall

Reason

Thinner

Thicker

Ventricle pumps blood out of heart to lungs

and whole body.
Atria pumps to ventricles.

Right ventricle
Thinner

Left
ventricle
Thicker

Left ventricle- pumps to whole body

Right ventricle pumps to lungs only

Structure

Aorta
Vena Cava
(Superior)
Semilunar
valve
Tricuspid
valve

Valves:

Pulmonary artery
Pulmonary vein
Bicuspid
valve
Semilunar
valve

Atrio-ventricular valve-i) Tricuspid

ii) Bicuspid
(Mitral)
Semilunar valves- i) at Aorta entrance
(Aortic valve)
ii) at Pulmonary
artery entrance
(Pulmonary valve)
Function: One direction flow from..to,
prevent backflow

Vessels:
Vena Cava
Vena Cava
(Inferior)

Pulmonary artery
Pulmonary vein
Aorta

Circulations:
i)

Pulmonary circulation

ii) Systemic circulation

Carotid arteries:
- surface
- nutrients for myocardium

Cardiac Cycle

Sequence of events that makes one heart beat

1) Atrial systole
- Atria wall contract
- Atrial pressure high, forces blood
through AV valves into ventricles
- SL valve closes dub

2) Ventricular systole
- After 0.1 second, last for 0.3seconds
- Ventricles contract
- Ventricular pressure much
higher, forces blood through SL valves
out of the ventricles
- AV valves close lup

3) Ventricular diastole
- Atria and ventricles relax
- Heart pressure drops
- SL valves close
- Blood from vena cava fills atrium

1: AV valve close

3: SL valve close

2: SL valve open

4: AV valve open

Control of the Heart Beat

Pacemakers:
Specialized cardiac muscle cells that initiate
and coordinates rhythmic heart beat.
i)

SAN (Sinoatrial Node)

ii)

AVN (atrioventricular Node)

iii)

Purkyne Tissues (Bundle of Hiss,branches)

Non-conductive fibres between AV

Purkyne tissues

-rapid transmission between septum

outwards upwards ventricle walls

Heart beat rate: 70 times per minute

(average) =>pulse

Heart sound

- Ventricles contract bottom up

Electrocardiogram

Graph of electrical potential generated and

recorded against time Electrocardiograph

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/animate/flash-electrical.swf
http://www.practicalclinicalskills.com/ekg-lesson.aspx?coursecaseorder=6&courseid=301

P: Atria contraction (depolarization)

Q, R, S: Ventricular contraction
Atria relaxation (repolarization)
T: Ventricular relaxation
Electrodes 10
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HowTheBodyWorks/IntroductiontotheHeart/TheHeartbeat/Pages/Electroca
rdiogramECG.aspx