Anatomy and Physiology:

Cardiovascular System (Circulatory System)

The Circulatory system is made up of the heart and the blood vessels.
Functions of CVS:
The primary function of providing oxygen, nutrients and hormones to muscles, tissues,
and organs throughout our body.
Another duty of the circulatory system is to remove waste from cells and organs brought
to the kidneys for excretion.
These waste products include:
- CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) from respiration
- Other chemical byproducts from organs
- Wastes from things we eat and drink.
Parts of the Circulatory System
Heart – A muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body
Blood vessels – Includes, Arteries, Veins and Capillaries
- Arteries – They are the blood vessels that supply the body with oxygenated
blood with the only exception being the Pulmonary arteries from the heart which
carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs and umbilical artery which carries
deoxygenated blood from the fetus to the placenta.
- Veins – They return oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart. They start
small (Venules) and get larger as they approach the heart. Two central veins
deliver blood to the heart.
o Superior Vena cava – carries blood from upper body (head and Arms)
to the heart.
o Inferior Vena Cava – brings blood up from the lower body (stomach,
pelvis and the legs) to the heart. Veins in the legs have valves to keep
blood from flowing backwards.
- Capillaries: These blood vessels connect very small arteries (Arterioles) and
veins (venules). Capillaries have thin walls that allow oxygen, carbon dioxide and
waste products to pass in and out of cells.
Blood – made up of solids and liquids which are Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells,
Plasma, And Platelets.
The solid part of the blood contains RBC, WBC, and Platelets while the Liquid part is
plasma.
 - Plasma – It is the liquid part of the blood made up of water, salts, and protein.
Over half of blood is plasma.
- Red Blood Cells – Deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs.
- White Blood Cells – Fights infection and is a part of the immune system.
- Platelets – help blood to clot when you have a cut or wound.
Circulatory System Circuits:
- The pulmonary circuit – This carries blood without oxygen from the heart to the
lungs and the pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood to the heart.
- The Systemic Circuit – In this circuit, blood with oxygen, nutrients and
hormones travel from the heart to the rest of the body. In the veins, the blood
picks up waste products as the body uses up the oxygen, nutrients and
hormones.
- The Coronary Circuit – Coronary refers to your heart’s arteries. This circuit
provides the heart muscles with oxygenated blood. The coronary circuit then
returns the oxygen-poor blood to the heart’s right upper chamber (atrium) to send
to the lungs for oxygen.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21775-circulatory-system
https://medlineplus.gov/blood.html
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Cardiovascular_System