Cardiovascular
System
Brien Johnson & Brent Paulson
Hour 2
Key Vocabulary
Cardiovascular: of or relating to the heart and blood vessels.
Artery: any of the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system
by which blood (mainly that which has been oxygenated) is conveyed from
the heart to all parts of the body.
Vein: any of the tubes forming part of the blood circulation system of the body,
carrying in most cases oxygen-depleted blood toward the heart.
Blood Vessel: a tubular structure carrying blood through the tissues and
organs; a vein, artery, or capillary.
Capillary: any of the fine branching blood vessels that form a network between
the arterioles and venules.
How it works and why it’s important
The cardiovascular system is composed of many
different veins, arteries, and capillaries. All of these
components make up blood vessels. The
cardiovascular system’s job is to carry the oxygen,
nutrients, hormones, and the cellular waste product
around the body. Without this, we wouldn’t have
oxygen in our cells and we would die.
Diagram and definitions
All arteries carry blood away from the heart, while all blood
travels back to the heart through veins. The biggest
artery in the body is the aorta. The blood in the left
atrium is oxygenated, while the right atrium is full of
deoxygenated blood.
Unique Details
Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats, or
pumps blood, usually measured per minute. It is
calculated by counting the pulses, usually in your neck or
wrist. As you get more active your heart rate increases,
and your resting heart rate decreases, meaning your
heart is stronger.
Teen Injuries and Diseases
Though it is not as commonly found in teens as it
is in adults, cardiovascular disease is a major
killer of teens. Cardiovascular disease, also
known as heart disease, is caused by high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking,
and physical inactivity. It is commonly found in
men and can be genetic.
Disease Prevention
Heart disease is the most deadly killer,
killing more people each year than
cancer. Factors that can increase risk
include your gender, age and race.
The easiest ways to prevent heart
disease are not smoking, exercising
at least 30 minutes daily, and
maintaining a healthy diet. Heart
disease is not any one disease, but
rather a class of diseases that involve
the heart, the blood vessels or both.
The most common killer is a buildup
of plaque in the arteries, restricting
blood flow.
Close interaction with other
systems
Urinary system: The urinary system helps to clean the waste products in your
blood that come from the skeletal system.
Respiratory system: Gives the body oxygen and some of the oxygen goes to the
circulatory system to give oxygen to your cells.
Digestive system: The digestive system gives the heart nutrients so that it can
function smoothly and keep beating.
Muscular system: The heart is actually a muscle so it is apart of both the muscular
system and the cardiovascular system. It pumps blood to the muscles.
Skeletal system: The skeletal system has bones that are designed to protect the
heart and the cardiovascular system.
How to keep the Cardiovascular
system healthy
Exercise: If you exercise for at least 30 minutes every day
you will be able to help prevent heart disease and
strengthen your heart
Avoid tobacco and alcohol use: Tobacco can cause serious
damage to your heart and cardiovascular system. It expells
chemicals into your system which can cause
atherosclerosis.
Eat healthy: Eating healthy can improve your circulatory
system and reduce the risk of heart disease. You should
eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and
low-fat dairy products and avoid eating foods with saturated
and trans fat.
Quiz Questions
1) Do veins pump blood to or from the
heart?
A. Towards
B. Away
C. Both Directions
D. Neither
2) What kills more people?
A. HIV/AIDS
B. Heart Disease
C. They Kill The Same
D. Cancer
Quiz Questions
3) What is the main organ of the Cardiovascular System?
A. Artery
B. Heart
C. Brain
D. Blood