Cardiovascular System
David Sturgeon in Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare Students, 2018
We have already observed that the heart is a muscular pump that propels blood through the circulatory system in order to deliver the various substances it carries to where they are needed. For example, the heart ensures that tissues receive a constant supply of oxygen and glucose for cellular metabolism and that deoxygenated blood (containing carbon dioxide) is returned to the lungs to undergo gaseous exchange. From a functional point of view, therefore, the heart is quite easy to understand. However, the way it maintains an uninterrupted (and appropriate) flow of blood through the circulatory system, and adapts to a constantly changing internal and external environment, is more complicated. In terms of the gross (visible to the naked eye) anatomy of the heart, it is about the size of its ‘owners’ fist and is situated between the two lungs roughly in the centre of the thoracic cavity (Figure 7.5). This central compartment is known as the mediastinum and also contains a number of large blood vessels, the oesophagus, trachea, thoracic duct, thymus gland and the phrenic and cardiac nerves. The inferior (lower) aspect of the heart is known as the apex because it forms a point that is directed toward the left hip. It rests upon the diaphragm at about the level of the fifth intercostal space (the gap between the fifth and sixth ribs). The superior (upper) aspect of the heart is somewhat confusingly known as the base (since it is flat) and is situated behind the sternum at the level of the third costal (rib) cartilage.
Swarm Intelligence and Evolutionary Algorithms for Heart Disease Diagnosis
Sandeep Kumar, Anand Nayyar, Anand Paul in Swarm Intelligence and Evolutionary Algorithms in Healthcare and Drug Development, 2019
Human heart is an organ made of strongest muscles located between the two lungs in the body. The heart is a fist-sized organ within the chest skeleton compartment. The average number of times the human heart beat is approximately 70 times per minute. The left chamber of the heart is responsible to pump the blood out of heart to different organs throughout the body. The pure blood with oxygen and nutrients are carried by the blood vessels known as arteries and capillaries. Similarly, the right chamber of heart collects the impure, deoxygenated blood from various different organs through blood vessels, known as veins. The liver removes the waste products during the blood circulation process. This system is called “cardiovascular system.” The human heart is prone to breakdown and damage due to several factors known as cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Primarily, there are five CVDs, namely coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, hypertension heart diffusion, rheumatic heart disease, and other associated cardiovascular diseases.
Pervasive Computing and Ambient Physiological Monitoring Devices
Bruno Bouchard in Smart Technologies in Healthcare, 2017
Ballistocardiogram (BCG) is defined as mechanical vibration of the body due to the reaction force of the heart pumping blood (Starr et al. 1939). At each heartbeat, the chambers (i.e. ventricles) of the heart containing blood contracts, push out blood into the vascular system. As this event takes place, the body experiences a minute mechanical reaction force and the recoding of this signal is called BCG. BCG can be used to find the heart rate and to reveal information on the cardiac output (Inan et al. 2009). It is estimated that BCG is approximately 0.24 N of oscillation force while standing (2008). BCG can be detected while the person is lying down, sitting, standing or by wearing a BCG measuring device. BCG is actually a three-dimensional signal and the BCG recording will capture one of the three components or a mixture of the components, depending on the body orientation at the time of measurement. The longitudinal (i.e. up and down) BCG is captured when it is recorded while standing and a combination of anterior-posterior (i.e. front and back) and lateral (i.e. side to side) BCG is captured from the lying down position. To avoid confusion, the different components of BCG will be called BCG throughout the chapter.
Ectopia Cordis: 6-Year Survival without Surgical Correction
Published in Fetal and Pediatric Pathology, 2021
The referenced video (shorturl.at/ilzG9) demonstrates that the lower half of sternum was bifid with 12 cm interridge distance. The entire heart was external to the thoracic cavity and was covered by thin skin. The apex of the heart pointed anteriorly. Fusion of the superior anterior chest wall resulted in the extra thoracic location of the heart. The pericardium was attached to the skin and there was no direct communication of the outside with the pleural spaces. No associated malformations -abdominal wall defects, craniofacial malformations, cleft lip, cleft palate, hydrocephaly, neural tube defect, pulmonary hypoplasia, genitourinary malformation, or gastrointestinal defect- were seen. Detailed anatomy of the heart was not assessed due to lack of facilities at the HFWC. They now approached to the HFWC requesting sponsorship. The present plan is for corrective surgery to close the chest wall defect.
Systemic sclerosis complicated by arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in a Chinese middle-aged female
Published in Modern Rheumatology Case Reports, 2018
Shi-Kun Ma, Chao-Xia Lu, Wei Wu, Yong-Tai Liu, Xue Zhang
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a systematic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs. The heart is one of its target organs. SSc-associated cardiac abnormalities included microvascular coronary artery disease leading to resultant myocardial ischaemia, myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, LV diastolic dysfunction, pericardial disease and conduction abnormalities (including bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias) [1]. These cardiovascular alterations can be primary (i.e. direct cardiac involvement) or secondary to potential complications of SSc, like pulmonary arterial hypertension, interstitial lung disease or kidney disease [2]. ARVC is an autosomal dominant inherited disease with incomplete penetrance and variable clinical phenotype, characterised by right ventricular cardiomyopathy with progressive replacement of myocardium with fatty and fibrous tissue [3]. It is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in the young people [4].
Targeting VCAM-1: a therapeutic opportunity for vascular damage
Published in Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, 2023
Mayarling F Troncoso, Magda C Díaz-Vesga, Fernanda Sanhueza-Olivares, Jaime A Riquelme, Marioly Müller, Luis Garrido, Luigi Gabrielli, Mario Chiong, Ramon Corbalan, Pablo F Castro, Sergio Lavandero
The cardiovascular system includes the heart and blood vessels that pump and deliver blood throughout the body. Blood vessels are structured in three layers: the tunica intima, media, and adventitia. The tunica intima, or inner layer, comprises endothelial cells (EC) in contact with the blood. The tunica media or medial layer is formed mainly by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and the extracellular matrix, such as collagen and elastin, that regulates vascular tone and the integrity of vessels. In capillaries, the medial layer does not contain VSMC, but pericytes form a thin wall that facilitates the transport of blood components [3]. The adventitia layer, or outer layer, comprises fibroblasts, nerves, and small arteries (Vasa vasorum) that deliver nutrients to this layer [4].