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Sep 4, 2024 · Your circulatory system, or cardiovascular system, supplies oxygen and nutrients to your whole body and removes waste through your blood. Your heart pumps blood that flows through your arteries, veins and capillaries. These blood vessels and your heart form your circulatory system. They work together to ensure your cells have what they need.
This animation features the heart and circulatory system and how they work. For more information, visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS0...
- 3 min
- 7.2M
- Mayo Clinic
Aug 26, 2024 · Veins: Tubes to Deliver Blood Back to the Heart . Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart. In the lungs, they carry newly oxygenated blood back to the heart so it can be pumped to the body. In the rest of the body, they take the now oxygen-depleted blood from capillaries back to the heart so it can be pumped to the lungs.
- Overview
- What makes up the circulatory system?
- Interesting facts about the circulatory system
- How does it work?
- Circulatory system conditions
- When to seek medical care
- What can you do to keep your circulatory system healthy?
- The bottom line
Your circulatory system, also known as your cardiovascular system, is made up of your heart and blood vessels. It works to transport oxygen and other nutrients to all the organs and tissues in your body. It also works to remove carbon dioxide and other waste products.
Having a healthy circulatory system is vital to your health and well-being. Continue reading as we delve deeper into the circulatory system, its function, and what you can do to keep your heart and blood vessels in good shape.
Your circulatory system is made up of several parts, including your:
•Heart. This muscular organ works to pump blood throughout your body via an intricate network of blood vessels.
•Arteries. These thick-walled blood vessels carry oxygenated blood away from your heart.
•Veins. These blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood back toward your heart.
•Your heart pumps about 5 liters of blood per minute, but it’s only about the size of your fist.
•It’s estimated that in a 70-year period, your heart will beat over 2.5 billion times.
•In most adult humans, a normal resting heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute.
•The total length of all of the blood vessels in your body is about 60,000 miles.
•Capillaries are your most numerous blood vessels and also the smallest. Red blood cells often have to move through the capillaries in single-file.
•Your blood pressure changes throughout the day. It’s lowest when you’re asleep, and it peaks in the middle of the afternoon.
Your circulatory system is vital to your survival. Its function is to distribute blood and other nutrients to all your body’s organs and tissues.
The small blood vessels called capillaries facilitate the exchange of oxygen and nutrients between your blood and the cells in your body. Carbon dioxide and other waste products, which are expelled from your body, are also exchanged via your capillaries. These tiny capillaries are spread throughout your body so that they can reach every cell.
Let’s follow the blood on a simple loop through the circulatory system to see how it works:
1.Oxygen-depleted blood returns to your heart (the right side) via the veins.
2.Your heart pumps this blood to the lungs. In the lungs, the blood gets rid of carbon dioxide and picks up fresh oxygen.
3.Newly oxygenated blood returns to the other side of the heart (the left side), where it’s then pumped into the arteries.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is when plaque builds up along the walls of your arteries. Risk factors that can contribute to plaque buildup include: •high blood pressure •high cholesterol •tobacco use •diabetes •an unhealthy diet •low levels of physical activity •being overweight or obese Atherosclerosis can gradually make the arteries narrower, affecting the amount of blood that can flow through them. Because of this, organs and tissues may not get enough oxygen. When atherosclerosis affects the arteries of your heart, it’s called coronary artery disease. Other arteries in your body can also be affected as well. This is called peripheral artery disease, which affects how well blood can flow to your legs, feet, arms, and hands. In some cases, an artery may become completely blocked by plaque or a blood clot. When this happens, a heart attack or stroke can occur.
High blood pressure
Your blood pressure is the force that your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. High blood pressure can eventually damage your heart and blood vessels, as well as other organs like your brain, kidneys, and eyes.
Angina
Angina is chest pain that occurs when your heart isn’t getting enough oxygen. It’s often caused by coronary artery disease, which makes the arteries supplying the heart narrower due to plaque buildup.
Circulatory system issues are best treated as early as possible. In some cases, you may not even know that there’s an issue with your heart or blood vessels.
That’s why it’s important to see your doctor for regular checkups. Your doctor can help monitor your cardiovascular health, as well as your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
•Get your heart pumping. Regular cardiovascular exercise is one of the best ways to get your heart pumping and to improve blood flow throughout your body. It’s recommended that you aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week.
•Eat heart-healthy foods. Choose foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein, including fish. Try to limit foods that are high in:
•sodium
•saturated fats
•trans fats
•added sugars
Your circulatory system is made up of your heart and an intricate network of blood vessels. The purpose of this system is to keep all the cells in your body supplied with fresh oxygen and nutrients while removing carbon dioxide and other waste products.
Several different types of conditions can affect your circulatory system. Many of these conditions involve some type of blood vessel blockage, which can lower oxygen delivery to vital organs.
There are steps you can take to keep your circulatory system as healthy as possible. Some key steps include getting regular exercise, eating heart-healthy foods, not smoking, and maintaining a moderate weight.
Regular visits to your doctor can also help identify and treat any potential problems before they become more serious issues.
Heart and circulatory diseases Sometimes the heart and circulatory system do not work like they should. This can cause heart and circulatory diseases (also called cardiovascular diseases). There are many forms of heart and circulatory diseases, including: coronary heart disease; heart attack ; angina; cardiac arrest; arrhythmias; congenital ...
May 26, 2022 · Heart: The heart is the central part of the circulatory system. Without the heart pumping, the system would not work properly. Blood vessels: The blood vessels hold the blood and make a closed-loop going to and from the heart. Blood: The blood carries oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products around the body.
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Jul 30, 2021 · The cardiovascular system, also known to some as the circulatory system, consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Learn more about it here. ... How does the blood circulatory system work ...
