NSE 13A/B Chapter 20: Week 3
Document Summary
Cardiovascular system consists of the heart, a muscular pump, and the blood vessels. The blood vessels are arranged in two continuous loops: the pulmonary circulation and the systemic circulation. When the heart contracts, it pumps blood simultaneously into both loops. The precordium is the area on the anterior chest overlying the heart and great vessels. The great vessels are the major arteries and veins connected to the heart. The heart and the great vessels are located between the lungs in the middle third of the thoracic cage; this area is called the mediastinum. The heart extends from the levels of the second to the fifth intercostal spaces and from the right border of the sternum to the left midclavicular line. The top of the heart is the broader base, and the bottom is the apex, which points down and to the left. During contraction, the apex beats against the chest wall, producing an apical impulse.
