Circulatory System

Cardiologist: Dr. Christine, Dr. Juan &

Dr. Julisa
Function of the Circulatory
System
The circulatory system is a group
of organs that transport blood and
the substances it carries to and
from all parts of the body. The
circulatory system can be
considered as composed of two
parts: the systemic circulation,
which serves the body as a whole
except for the lungs, and the
pulmonary circulation, which
carries the blood to and from the
lungs. The organs of circulatory
system consist of vessels that
carry the blood and a muscular
pump, the heart, that drives the
Blood flow in the Heart.
 Organs Involved
• The main components of the human circulatory
system are the heart, the blood, and the blood
vessels. The circulatory system includes: the
pulmonary circulation, a "loop" through the lungs
where blood is oxygenated; and the systemic
circulation, a "loop" through the rest of the body to
provide oxygenated blood. An average adult contains
five to six quarts (roughly 4.7 to 5.7 liters) of blood,
which consists of plasma, red blood cells, white blood
cells, and platelets. Also, the digestive system works
with the circulatory system to provide the nutrients
the system needs to keep the heart pumping.
 Heart
• The heart pumps oxygenated blood to the
body and deoxygenated blood to the lungs. In
the human heart there is one atrium and one
ventricle for each circulation, and with both a
systemic and a pulmonary circulation there
are four chambers in total: left atrium, left
ventricle, right atrium and right ventricle. The
right Atrium, which is the upper chamber of
the right side. The blood that is returned to the
right atrium is deoxygenated (poor in oxygen)
and passed into the right ventricle to be
pumped through the pulmonary artery to the
lungs for re-oxygenation and removal of
carbon dioxide. The left atrium receives newly
oxygenated blood from the lungs as well as
the pulmonary vein which is passed into the
strong left ventricle to be pumped through the
aorta to the tissues of the body
Pulmonary & Systemic
circulation
• Pulmonary circulation is the portion of the
cardiovascular system which transports
oxygen-depleted blood away from the
heart, to the lungs, and returns
oxygenated blood back to the heart.
• Systemic circulation is the portion of the
cardiovascular system which transports
oxygenated blood away from the heart, to
the rest of the body, and returns oxygen-
depleted blood back to the heart. Systemic
circulation is, distance-wise, much longer
than pulmonary circulation, transporting
blood to every part of the body except the
lungs.
 The circulatory system transports
materials throughout the body.
The Circulatory system includes three types of blood vessels- arteries,
veins, and capillaries- that act as a transportation network for the
blood.
• Arteries are strong and flexible. They must carry blood away from the
heart under great pressure. Their thick muscle layer and elastic fibers
allow the artery to expand & contract to help move the blood. Smaller
arteries, called arterioles, connect arteries capillaries.
• Veins carry blood under much less pressure back to the heart. They have a
larger diameter and thinner walls than do arteries and contain valves that
prevent blood from flowing backwards. Veins need the pressure of skeletal
muscles pushing against their walls to keep blood moving. Smaller veins,
called venules, connect larger veins to capillaries.
• Capillaries have thin walls, only once cell thick, that allow materials to
diffuse into and out of the blood. In some organs such as the liver or
kidneys, capillary beds move a large volume of blood into and out of the
organs.
 Health
Unhealthy lifestyle choices can increase the
risk of developing circulatory diseases. The
artery walls may becomes thick and
inflexible or may be blocked by sticky
plaque, leading to a possible heart attack or
stroke. Treatments include balloon
angioplasty or bypass surgery. Healthy
lifestyle choices and some medications can
greatly reduce the risk of heart disease.