Basic Cardiovascular System Course

Lesson 1 • Major Components at a Glance

Introduces the heart, blood vessels, and blood as the three primary components. Provides a structural map students will expand throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Purpose and Scope of Cardiovascular Function

Defines what the cardiovascular system does and why it is essential. Frames the system's role in oxygen delivery, waste removal, and homeostasis.

Lesson 3 • Terminology and Anatomical Orientation

Builds the vocabulary needed to describe cardiovascular structures precisely. Introduces directional terms and standard anatomical planes.

Lesson 1 • External Heart Anatomy

Examines the heart's outer surface, including its position in the mediastinum and surrounding structures. Establishes spatial orientation for internal anatomy study.

Lesson 2 • Cardiac Conduction System

Introduces the specialised cells and pathways that generate and transmit electrical impulses. Provides the anatomical basis for understanding heart rhythm.

Lesson 3 • Chambers and Valves

Details the four chambers and four valves that direct blood flow through the heart. Connects structural features to their functional roles in circulation.

Lesson 4 • Coronary Circulation

Maps the arteries and veins that supply the heart muscle itself. Explains why coronary perfusion is critical to cardiac function.

Lesson 1 • General Vessel Wall Architecture

Describes the three tunics common to most blood vessels and their tissue components. Establishes a structural template for comparing vessel types.

Lesson 2 • Capillaries and Exchange Vessels

Examines the three capillary subtypes and their roles in substance exchange. Connects capillary permeability to tissue-level physiology.

Lesson 3 • Vascular Smooth Muscle and Tone

Explains how smooth muscle contraction and relaxation regulate vessel diameter. Links vasomotor tone to blood pressure and flow distribution.

Lesson 4 • Veins and Venous Return

Compares venous wall structure to arterial structure and explains adaptations for low-pressure flow. Introduces mechanisms that assist blood return to the heart.

Lesson 1 • Blood Viscosity and Flow Properties

Analyses how haematocrit, protein concentration, and temperature affect blood viscosity. Links viscosity to vascular resistance and cardiac workload.

Lesson 2 • Platelets and Haemostasis

Explains platelet structure, activation, and their role in clot formation. Introduces the coagulation cascade in the context of vascular injury response.

Lesson 3 • Red Blood Cells and Oxygen Transport

Describes erythrocyte structure, haemoglobin function, and the oxygen-dissociation curve. Explains how red cell characteristics determine oxygen-carrying capacity.

Lesson 4 • Plasma Composition and Functions

Identifies the proteins, electrolytes, and other solutes dissolved in plasma. Connects plasma oncotic pressure to fluid balance across capillary walls.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Muscle Cell Physiology

Describes the unique properties of cardiomyocytes, including automaticity and the action potential. Distinguishes cardiac muscle from skeletal and smooth muscle.

Lesson 2 • Pressure-Volume Relationships

Introduces the pressure-volume loop as a tool for analysing cardiac work and efficiency. Connects loop shape to stroke volume, preload, and afterload.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Output and Its Determinants

Defines cardiac output and explains how heart rate and stroke volume interact to set it. Introduces Frank-Starling law and its physiological importance.

Lesson 4 • Heart Sounds and Clinical Correlation

Explains the origin of S1 and S2 heart sounds and introduces S3 and S4. Links abnormal sounds to structural or functional cardiac changes.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Blood Flow

Applies Poiseuille's law and Ohm's law analogy to cardiovascular flow. Establishes the mathematical relationship between pressure, flow, and resistance.

Lesson 2 • Arterial Blood Pressure

Defines systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure and explains their determinants. Connects pulse pressure to arterial compliance and stroke volume.

Lesson 3 • Short-Term Pressure Regulation

Describes baroreceptor reflexes and the autonomic nervous system's rapid pressure responses. Explains how the body corrects acute pressure deviations within seconds.

Lesson 4 • Vascular Resistance

Quantifies total peripheral resistance and identifies where resistance is greatest. Explains how arteriolar diameter is the primary resistance control point.

Lesson 1 • Systemic Circuit: Major Arterial Routes

Traces the aorta and its principal branches supplying major body regions. Provides a geographic map of systemic arterial distribution.

Lesson 2 • Systemic Circuit: Venous Drainage

Maps the major veins returning blood to the right atrium via the venae cavae. Introduces the hepatic portal system as a specialised venous route.

Lesson 3 • Microcirculation and Tissue Perfusion

Examines fluid and solute exchange at the capillary level using Starling forces. Explains how lymphatic drainage complements capillary reabsorption.

Lesson 4 • Gas Exchange at the Alveolar Level

Explains oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion across the alveolar-capillary membrane. Connects partial pressure gradients to efficient respiratory gas exchange.

Lesson 1 • Cardiovascular Response to Exercise

Describes acute and chronic cardiovascular adaptations to physical activity. Explains how training improves cardiac efficiency and vascular function.

Lesson 2 • Coronary Artery Disease and Ischaemia

Explains atherosclerosis progression and how plaque reduces myocardial perfusion. Distinguishes stable angina from acute coronary syndromes.

Lesson 3 • Cardiovascular Changes with Aging

Identifies structural and functional changes in the heart and vessels across the lifespan. Explains why older adults have increased cardiovascular risk.

Lesson 4 • Cardiac Failure and Valvular Disease

Describes systolic and diastolic cardiac failure mechanisms and compensatory responses. Introduces common valvular lesions and their haemodynamic consequences.