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