THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Your “real” heart
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
Essential question – What is the
function of the heart?
To pump blood to all parts of the body providing food
and oxygen to all its cells.
BLOOD
Blood is the fluid of life. It transports oxygen
and carbon dioxide, nourishment, and
disease fighters to all parts of the body.
PLASMA
The liquid portion of the blood in which
all other cells, nutrients, and hormones
are suspended.
Plasma is 90% water
TYPES OF BLOOD CELLS
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.
BLOOD VESSELS – YOUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
ARTERIES
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.
VEINS
Veins return unoxygenated blood back
to the heart.
Two major veins are:
Superior vena cava
Inferior vena cava
CAPILLARIES – smallest vessel in the
body, where O2 & CO2 is exchanged
BLOOD PRESSURE
The force of blood against the arterial walls
120/80 is an average BP
HYPERTENSION = a high blood pressure count
YOUR “PULSE”
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.
HEART ANATOMY
HEART ANATOMY TERMS
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
TYPES OF CIRCULATION
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
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