CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

• Materials are moved throughout your body by the cardiovascular system

– This system includes your heart, blood vessels, and blood

• The heart is the organ that continuously circulates blood throughout the body.

• Blood vessels carry blood to every part of the body

• Blood moves oxygen and nutrients to cells, and carries wastes away from the cells

• The heart is made of cardiac muscle tissue

• The heart has four compartments called chambers

• The upper chambers are the right and left atriums

• The lower chambers are called ventricles

• Blood flows in only one direction, from an atrium to a ventricle, then from a ventricle to a blood vessel

• There are three types of circulation:

–Coronary circulation–Pulmonary circulation– Systemic circulation

• The beating of your heart controls blood flow for all of them

• Coronary circulation is the flow of blood to and from tissues of the heart (takes place within the heart)

• Pulmonary circulation is the flow of blood through the heart to the lungs and back to the heart

• In systemic circulation, oxygen-rich blood moves to all organs and body tissues (except the heart and lungs)– Systemic circulation is the largest of the three

sections of the circulatory system

• Systemic circulation relies on blood vessels called arteries and veins to carry blood to organs

• Arteries carry blood away from the heart– Each ventricle of the heart is connected to an

artery– The right ventricle is connected to the

pulmonary artery– The left ventricle is attached to the aorta, the

largest artery in the body

• Veins carry blood back to the heart

- Veins have one-way valves that keep blood moving toward the heart

• Arteries and veins are connected by microscopic

blood vessels called capillaries

• Blood pressure is what we call the force of blood on the walls of blood vessels

• Blood pressure is expressed by two numbers, called the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure

“normal” blood pressure is120 over 80

• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. –Diseases that affect the cardiovascular system

affect the health of the whole body

• Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty deposits build up on artery walls

• Hypertension is high blood pressure. This places extra strain on the heart

• Heart failure results when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently

• Most cardiovascular disease can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating habits, exercise, and getting enough sleep