The circulatory system consists of three main parts: heart, blood vessels, and blood. Learn how the circulatory system works and how to prevent diseases
The circulatory system consists of three main parts:
- Heart
- Blood vessels
- Blood
It also has three circuits that work together to circulate blood throughout the body:
- Pulmonary: Carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to lungs, then returns oxygen-filled blood to the heart.
- Systemic: Transports blood with oxygen, nutrients, and hormones from the heart to the rest of the body, then returns deoxygenated blood to the heart.
- Coronary: Supplies oxygenated blood to the heart muscle, then returns oxygen-lacking blood to the lungs for oxygen supply.
What does the circulatory system do?
The heart pumps blood throughout the body through a network of arteries and veins in a continuous cycle. The cardiovascular system is responsible for transporting oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to muscles, tissues, and organs.
It also removes waste products, such as:
- Carbon dioxide from breathing
- Chemical byproducts from different organs
- Waste from foods and beverages consumed
How does the circulatory system work?
Blood vessels along with the heart and lungs continuously circulate blood through your body:
- The right ventricles (lower chamber of the heart) sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery.
- Blood cells absorb oxygen from the lungs.
- Pulmonary veins transport oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium (upper chamber of the heart).
- The left atrium transports oxygenated blood to the left ventricles, which pump blood to different muscles, tissues, and organs through the arteries.
- The blood carries oxygen, hormones, and nutrients and takes waste products from organs.
- The veins carry deoxygenated blood and carbon dioxide back to the heart and transport blood to the lungs.
- The lungs get rid of the carbon dioxide through exhaling.
What are diseases of the circulatory system?
- Aneurysm: Occurs when the artery wall weakens and enlarges; the most common aneurysms include:
- High blood pressure: Occurs when the force exerted by the blood against the blood vessel walls increases. High blood pressure can increase the risk of:
- Atherosclerosis: Occurs when fats and other substances form plaques on the artery walls, which can harden or narrow the arteries. Atherosclerosis increases the risk of the following:
- Venous disease: Affects the veins of the lower body, causing conditions such as varicose vein and deep vein thrombosis.
- Arteritis: Inflammation of the small- or large-caliber blood vessels due to autoimmune processes.
How can you prevent diseases of the circulatory system?
Lifestyle changes can help prevent diseases of the circulatory system:
- Exercise regularly
- Quit smoking
- Eat a healthy, nutritious diet
- Keep your weight under control
- Go for regular medical checkups (lipid levels, homocysteine levels,and cardiac markers)
- Talk to your doctor if you have a family history of heart diseases