Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Anatomy | Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart
Session Overview
Description
This session presents an overview of the anatomy of the heart and related structures.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe the anatomy of the heart and great vessels
• Identify the structures which form the borders of the heart
• Describe the anatomy of the pericardium and the transverse and oblique sinuses
• Identify the surface markings of the heart
• Describe the fibrous skeleton of the heart and its relationship to the heart valves
• Describe the anatomy of the heart valves
• Describe the anatomy of the chambers of the heart

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Heart and major vessels (001-0006)
• Conducting system of the heart (001-0569)

This session gives an overview of the anatomy of the human heart and its related structures. All of the information is presented with a minimum of complicated anatomical descriptions and with as much visual information as possible.

A knowledge of cardiac anatomy is an essential building block for the comprehension of cardiovascular physiology. This knowledge will help you to understand the pathophysiological processes that affect the heart and the cardiovascular system in disease.

This session gives concise descriptions of the anatomical parts of the heart and surrounding structures, supplemented by diagrams and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) images. The two-dimensional TOE images show how the muscular walls of the heart move during the cardiac cycle and visually demonstrate the timing of the opening and closing of the four heart valves.