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Home > Heart Health > Medical Glossary
Artery

A blood vessel that normally carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other body organs.

One exception is the Pulmonary artery, which, on contrary, carries oxygen-depleted blood from the right part of the heart to the lungs.

The arterial walls include, among others, smooth muscle fibers, which enable contracture and relaxation of the vessel. These muscular fibers are under control of the nervous system.

Atrium

The upper heart compartments are called atria (vestibules).

They are separated from the ventricles by unidirectional valves.

The right atrium receives blood from the large vein system (Superior and Inferior Vena Cava) After having been collected from all body organs, this blood has low oxygen content. From the atrium it is transported through the Tricuspid valve to the right ventricle and from there, during the ventricular systole, to the Pulmonary artery for oxygenation.

The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the Pulmonary veins and it voids through the Mitral valve to the left ventricle and from there, during systole, to the Aorta.

The natural cardiac pacemaker, the Sinus, is located in the right atrium and from there electrical impulses are propagated to different sites in the heart.

Various conditions, such as valvular diseases, pulmonary diseases and more, can affect the atrial status.

Blood vessels

Tubes of various calibers for blood transport from or to the heart and the various organs of the body.

There are arterial and venous blood vessels. As a rule, the arterial system carries oxygen-rich blood to various body organs and the venous system is a draining system carrying low oxygenated blood from the organs back to the heart and from there to the lungs for oxygenation.

An exception thereof are pulmonary vessels, in which oxygen-low blood is, on the contrary, transported by arteries (branches of the pulmonary artery) and oxygen-rich blood is transported back to the heart by pulmonary veins.

Veins and arteries differ not only by their purpose and function, but also by their anatomical structure.

Arteries are more elastic and possess a muscular layer, thus being able to contract and expand.

 

Capillary

Small blood vessels that constitute the junction area between the arterial and the venous system.

Cor pulmonale

Anatomical changes in the right part of the heart caused by increased blood pressure in the pulmonary vasculature.

This is usually a result of a chronic pulmonary disease

Coronary artery

The Coronary system is responsible for the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle itself. The system originates from the Aorta, and the main Coronary arteries are: Left Main )LM), Left Anterior Descending )LAD), Circumflex (CX) and Right Coronary Artery (RCA).

Different arteries supply blood to different areas of the heart.

The coronary system is more strongly exposed to the development of Atherosclerosis compared with other arterial systems and this fact explains the enormous incidence of Ischemic heart disease.

Coronary artery

One of the arteries belonging to the system nourishing the heart muscle itself and responsible for the oxygen supply to the heart.

This arterial system originates from the Aorta.

It is composed of three main arteries: RCA, LDA and CIRCUMFLEX and their branches.

The Coronary system is one of the arterial systems in the body most strongly exposed to the Atherosclerosis process.

Endocardium
Endocardium A delicate membrane covering the inner heart wall and the valves. Folds of this membrane form the cardiac valves.
Epicardium
The external layer wrapping the heart.
Heart (cardia)

A muscular organ comprising 4 chambers, located in the center of the chest, between the two lungs, with the apex pointing downwards and to the left.

It is divided by an impermeable septum into two parts, the left and the right heart, .

It is also divided into two compartments (upper and lower) called atria (vestibules) and ventricles.

A one-way valve separates each ventricle from its corresponding atrium.

The heart functions as a pump, which propels blood into the vessels of the body. The right heart pumps oxygen-depleted blood returning from the body organs into the lungs, while the left heart's function is propelling oxygen-enriched blood coming from the lungs into all body organs.

This process is accomplished in the following manner: Oxygen-depleted blood is drained from the organs by the venous system and reaches the right atrium. From there it flows to the right ventricle and when the ventricle contracts it is propelled into the Pulmonary artery.

In the lungs, gas exchange takes place and blood is oxygenated.

The oxygen- enriched blood is transported by the Pulmonary veins to the left ventricle and by the contraction of the latter it is pumped directly into the Aorta, which by means of its many branches supplies oxygen rich blood to all organs of the body.

The synchronized activity of the different heart chambers is possible thanks to the electrical conductive system, which signals and stimulates the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle.

Heart muscle

See entry: Heart

Interventricular septum

The partition wall dividing the two ventricles. Normally, this wall is impermeable, so oxygen-rich blood in the left ventricle cannot mix with oxygen-depleted blood from the right ventricle.

In certain congenital heart defects, this septum can have an opening. The solution of the problem, if necessary, is a surgical correction.

Left ventricle

The left ventricle is filled during the diastole from the left atrium with oxygen-rich blood. During systole the left ventricle empties directly to the Aorta and from there, by means of its many branches, it reaches all arteries of the body. Thus different body organs can regularly be nourished with oxygenated blood.

The left ventricle has a stronger and thicker wall than the right one and works against greater pressure resistance; its oxygen consumption is greater and therefore it is more vulnerable in situations when oxygen supply is compromised, such as infarctions.

Myocardium

Heart muscle

Pericardium

A memranaceous cover enveloping the heart. It consists of two parts: the outer, fibrous and more rigid envelope firmly connected to the large vessels coming out from the heart and the serous inner envelope.

The latter has two layers: the inner one, Epicardium (outer heart layer) is adjacent to the heart muscle and the outer one covers the fibrous part from inside.

A small amount of fluid is contained between these two layers, intended to prevent friction between the two surfaces during the excursions of the heart.

Pulmonary artery

Originates from the right ventricle of the heart and carries oxygen-depleted blood to the lungs.

This is indeed the only artery of the body carrying oxygen-depleted blood.

Pulmonary vein

This vessel carries oxygenated (oxygen-rich) blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.

This is the only and unique instance where oxygen-rich blood is carried by a vein (normally such blood in transported by arteries).
Right ventricle

The right ventricle is filled with blood during diastole from the right atrium. This blood has low oxygen content.

During systole the right ventricle empties into the Pulmonary artery, which carries blood to the lungs, where oxygenation takes place.

Situs Inversus (right/hearted)

This is a condition, in which the heart is located in the right half of the chest, caused by a congenital malformation.

This can be associated with additional malformations.

Vein

A blood vessel that normally carries oxygen depleted blood. The flow direction in veins is from the various body organs towards the heart.

Vena Cava (“The empty vein”)

This large vein is composed of two parts: the inferior (lower) and superior (upper) Vena Cava. Both parts drain oxygen depleted blood from different parts of the body to the right atrium of the heart.

Ventricle

The lower heart chambers are called ventricles.

During diastole the ventricles are filled with blood emptying to them from the atria.

The right ventricle is filled from the right atrium, while blood flows through the Tricuspid valve.

The left ventricle is filled from the left atrium, while blood flows through the Mitral valve.

During the systole the ventricles pump the blood contained in them into the large vessels.

The right ventricle empties to the Pulmonary artery, from which blood is transferred to the lungs.

The left ventricle empties to the Aorta.

Vestibule
See under: Atrium
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