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The Cardiovascular System is an organ system centered around the Heart, blood movement, oxygen, carbon dioxide and these together help regulate the body’s nutrients, waste, and more.

This process is often referred to as the Circulatory System. The Circulatory systems also deals closely with the Lymphatic system and Immune system.

Humans have what is considered a “closed cardiovascular system”.

This means that blood is always within the framework of the arteries, veins and capillaries that are woven throughout the body. There is approximately 5-6 Liters of blood that is pumped throughout the body every minute.

Two primary types of fluids move through the circulatory system: blood and lymph.

Function of the Cardiovascular System

1.)  Move Nutrients and other items through the body.
2.)  Allows blood to circulate
3.)  Regulate body temperature
4.)  Regulate ph
5.)  Regulate homeostasis

Molecules That Circulate Through This System

–  Nutrients
–  Oxygen
–  Hormones
–  Enzymes
–  Blood
–  Glucose
–  Carbon Dioxide
–  Many other important molecules throughout the body.

Human Cardiac System Facts

–  Essential components are heart, blood, blood vessels
–  Includes Pulmonary Circulation  –  a loop that includes the Lungs – where blood is oxygenated.
–  Includes Systemic Circulation – a loop through the rest of the body providing oxygenated blood to tissues.
–  Holds 5-6 quarts or 4.7-5.7 liters of blood.
–  Accounts for 7-10% of the body’s weight.
–  Works in conjunction with the Digestive System to allow digested nutrients into the blood stream and moved around the body.

Components of the Circulatory system are:

–  Heart
–  Lungs
–  Blood
–  Blood Vessels

1.)  Heart

Let’s check out the pathway of blood as if flows into and out of the heart:

–  Pumps oxygenated blood to the body and deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
–  Deoxygenated blood means lack of oxygen but saturated with Carbon Dioxide.
–  One Atrium and One Ventricle for each circulation.
–  4 total chambers:  Left Atrium, Left Ventricle, Right Atrium, and Right Ventricle.
–  The Right Atrium is the upper chamber on the right side of the heart
–  Blood entering the right atrium from the body is deoxygenated blood.
–  It is then passed or pushed into the right ventricle.
–  From the right ventricle it is pushed into the lungs.
–  Left Atrium is the upper left side of the heart and it receives oxygenated blood from the lungs.
–  The blood is pushed into the Left Ventricle.
–  The blood is then pushed out of the heart, into the aorta and to different parts of the body and different organs.

2.)  Lungs

–  The lungs is an organ system where air/oxygen that is breathed into the body is then transferred to the blood.
–  There are special features of lungs including Aveoli and Bronchioles.
–  Carbon dioxide – is a waste product.
–  They are inflatable, light, spongy, and retractable.

3.)  Blood

–  Plasma
–  Red Blood Cells
–  White blood Cells
–  Platelets
–  Circulates via the heart carrying oxygen and nutrients.
–  Help carry waste materials away from all body systems, organs, and tissues.

4.)  Blood Vessels

–  Transports blood and other products, including waste and hormones throughout the body.
–  Three major types

1.)  Arteries:  Carry blood away from heart

2.)  Capillaries:  Enable exchange of water and chemicals and tissues

3.)  Veins:  Carry blood back to the heart

Categories of the Circulatory system are:

–  Pulmonary Circulation
–  Systemic Circulation
–  Digestive System
–  Lymph system

Take a look at the arteries and veins of the body below: