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Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System
The heart and blood circulation make up the anatomy of the cardiovascular system. These two components help deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body and remove carbon dioxide and waste.
The anatomy of the cardiovascular system is very intricate and effective.
The anatomy of the cardiovascular system begins with your heart. The heart is a specialized muscle that consists of individual cells joined by electrical connections. The 'squeeze' is called systole and normally lasts for about 250 milliseconds.
The relaxation period, when the atria and ventricles re-fill, is called diastole; the time for diastole depends on the heart rate.
Your heart works as a pump that pushes blood to the organs, tissues, and cells of your body. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell and removes the carbon dioxide and waste products made by those cells.
Blood is carried from your heart to the rest of your body through a complex network of arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. Blood is returned to your heart through venules and veins.
Our circulatory network carries blood to all parts of your body. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from your heart, and veins carry oxygen-depleted blood back to your heart. This network exists in conjunction with the pulmonary network - as it is the lungs that supply the oxygen to the heart and eliminates the waste of carbon dioxide.
It is important to keep your heart healthy with regular exercise (at least 30 minutes a day) and a healthy diet (low in saturated fats and high in fibre).
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