The Cardiovascular System at a Glance

Philip I. Aaronson, BA, PhD is Reader in Pharmacology and Therapeutics at King's College, London.

Jeremy P. T. Ward, BSc, PhD, FPhysiol is Emeritus Professor of Physiology at King's College, London.

Michelle J. Connolly, BSc, MBBS, PhD, MRCP is a ST6 Interventional Cardiology Fellow, St George's Hospital, London.

Preface 6


Recommended reading 6


Acknowledgements 7


List of abbreviations 8


About the companion website


Introduction


1 Overview of the cardiovascular system 10


Anatomy and histology


2 Gross anatomy and histology of the heart 12


3 Vascular anatomy 14


4 Vascular histology and smooth muscle cell ultrastructure 16


Blood and body fluids


5 Constituents of blood 18


6 Erythropoiesis, haemoglobin and anaemia 20


7 Haemostasis 22


8 Thrombosis and anticoagulants 24


9 Blood groups and transfusions 26


Cellular physiology


10 Membrane potential, ion channels and pumps 28


11 Electrophysiology of cardiac muscle and origin of the heart beat 30


12 Cardiac muscle excitation-contraction coupling 32


13 Electrical conduction system in the heart 34


14 The electrocardiogram 36


15 Vascular smooth muscle excitation-contraction coupling 38


Form and function


16 Cardiac cycle 40


17 Control of cardiac output 42


18 Haemodynamics 44


19 Blood pressure and flow in the arteries and arterioles 46


20 The microcirculation and lymphatic system, and diapedesis 48


21 Fluid filtration in the microcirculation 50


22 The venous system 52


23 Local control of blood flow 54


24 Regulation of the vasculature by the endothelium 56


25 The coronary, cutaneous and cerebral circulations 58


26 The pulmonary, skeletal muscle and fetal circulations 60


Integration and regulation


27 Cardiovascular reflexes 62


28 Autonomic control of the cardiovascular system 64


29 The control of blood volume 66


30 Cardiovascular effects of exercise 68


31 Shock and haemorrhage 70


History, examination and investigations


32 History and examination of the cardiovascular system 72


33 Cardiovascular investigations 74


Pathology and therapeutics


34 Risk factors for cardiovascular disease 76


35 -Blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and Ca2+ channel blockers 78


36 Hyperlipidaemias 80


37 Atherosclerosis 82


38 Mechanisms of primary hypertension 84


39 Treatment of hypertension 86


40 Stable, microvascular, and vasospastic angina 88


41 Pharmacological management of stable, microvascular and vasospastic angina 90


42 Non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) 92


43 Coronary revascularization 94


44 Pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction 96


45 ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) 98


46 Heart failure 100


47 Treatment of chronic heart failure 102


48 Mechanisms of tachyarrhythmia 104


49 Atrial fibrillation 106


50 Other supraventricular tachyarrhythmias 108


51 Ventricular tachyarrhythmias and their non-pharmacological treatment 110


52 Pharmacological treatment of tachyarrhythmia 112


53 Conduction system abnormalities and pacing 114


54 Diseases of the aortic valve 116


55 Diseases of the mitral valve 118


56 Congenital heart disease 120


57 Myopathies and Channelopathies 122


58 Pulmonary hypertension 124


59 Stroke 126


Index 128