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Sep 4, 2024 · What is the circulatory system’s function? Your circulatory system’s three basic functions are: Move blood throughout your body. Bring oxygen and nutrients to your organs, muscles and tissues. Remove waste products like carbon dioxide and your organs’ chemical byproducts.
- 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.
Sep 12, 2023 · The main function of the circulatory (or cardiovascular) system is to deliver oxygen to the body tissues, whilst simultaneously removing carbon dioxide produced by metabolism. Oxygen is bound to molecules called haemoglobin that are on the surface of the red blood cells in the blood.
The circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. [1][2] It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart and blood vessels (from Greek kardia meaning heart, and from Latin vascula meani...
Jun 20, 2023 · The circulatory system consists of four major components: heart. arteries. veins. blood. The heart and its function. About the size of two adult hands held together, the heart rests near...
Oct 22, 2024 · Circulatory system, system that transports nutrients, respiratory gases, and metabolic products throughout a living organism. Circulation includes the intake of metabolic materials, the movement of these materials to and from tissues and organs, and the return of harmful by-products to the environment.
The circulatory system is a network consisting of blood, blood vessels, and the heart. This network supplies tissues in the body with oxygen and other nutrients, transports hormones, and removes unnecessary waste products.
