THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Your “real” heart

The muscular pump that makes the cardiovascular system work. It is made up of cardiac muscle and provides the power needed for life.

Your heart will beat an average of 2 ½ billion times in a lifespan.

You have approximately 5 liters of blood in your body

HEART

To pump blood to all parts of the body providing food and oxygen to all its cells.

Essential question – What is the function of the heart?

Blood is the fluid of life. It transports oxygen and carbon dioxide, nourishment, and disease fighters to all parts of the body.

BLOOD

The liquid portion of the blood in which all other cells, nutrients, and hormones are suspended.

Plasma is 90% water

PLASMA

RED CELLS – carry oxygen to all parts of the body. HEMOGLOBIN is the protein in RBC’s that the

O2 combines to. It give blood its red color.

WHITE BLOOD CELLS – are part of your immune system and fight disease.

PLATELETS – clot your blood to stop bleeding.

TYPES OF BLOOD CELLS

BLOOD VESSELS – YOUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart

Two major/important arteries are: Aorta – largest artery in body that takes

blood away from the heart Pulmonary Arteries – carry

‘unoxygenated’ blood away from heart and to the LUNGS to pick up O2.

ARTERIES

Veins return unoxygenated blood back to the heart.

Two major veins are: Superior vena cava Inferior vena cava

VEINS

CAPILLARIES – smallest vessel in the body, where O2 & CO2 is

exchanged

The force of blood against the arterial walls

120/80 is an average BP HYPERTENSION = a high blood pressure

count

BLOOD PRESSURE

The number of times your heart beats per minute.

The average heart beats 70-80 times in 60 seconds.

Your heart is a muscle, so if you exercise it (aerobically), your heart will get stronger and not have to work so hard. A trained athlete’s heart would beat LESS than 70-80 times.

YOUR “PULSE”

HEART ANATOMY

Atrium – the upper / receiving chambers of the heart

Ventricle – the lower / pumping chambers of the heart

Valves – tiny flaps of skin that open and close like one-way doors

Septum – the muscular wall that divides the heart into a right and left side

HEART ANATOMY TERMS

PULMONARY CIRULATION – BLOOD THAT FLOWS FROM THE HEART – TO THE LUNGS – BACK TO THE HEART

SYSTEMIC – BLOOD THAT FLOWS TO EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE BODY except the lungs

CORONARY – SUPPLIES BLOOD ONLY TO THE HEART

TYPES OF CIRCULATION