Cardiovascular physiology

Cardiovascular physiology is the study of the heart, blood vessels, and the intricate system that ensures the circulation of blood throughout the human body. This system is pivotal for maintaining homeostasis, including the transportation of oxygen, nutrients, waste products, and other gases like carbon dioxide.

Heart

The heart is a muscular organ located in the chest cavity, tasked with pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. It consists of four chambers: two upper atria and two lower ventricles. The right atrium receives oxygen-poor blood from the body and pumps it to the right ventricle, which then sends it to the lungs for oxygenation. The left atrium receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it into the left ventricle, which then distributes it throughout the body.

Blood Vessels

Blood vessels are part of the circulatory system, responsible for transporting blood throughout the body. There are three main types of blood vessels:

• Arteries - carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the tissues, with the exception of the pulmonary arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
• Veins - carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart, with the exception of the pulmonary veins, which carry oxygenated blood from the lungs.
• Capillaries - tiny vessels where the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products occurs between the blood and tissues.

Blood Flow

Blood flow refers to the movement of blood through the network of arteries, capillaries, and veins, a process crucial for transporting oxygen, hormones, and nutrients to the body's tissues.

Glossary of Cardiovascular Terms

Here is a glossary of key terms associated with cardiovascular physiology:

• Aorta - The largest artery in the body that distributes oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body except the lungs.
• Arterioles - Small branches of arteries leading into capillaries.
• Atrium - A chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and pushes it into the ventricles.
• Capillaries - The smallest blood vessels where the exchange of substances with tissue fluids takes place.
• Cardiac cycle - The complete heartbeat from its generation to the beginning of the next beat, including systole and diastole.
• Diastole - The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood.
• Endothelium - The inner lining of blood vessels.
• Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells) - Cells that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
• Heart rate - The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute.
• Hemoglobin - The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
• Leukocytes (White Blood Cells) - The cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against infectious disease and foreign invaders.
• Myocardium - The muscular tissue of the heart.
• Pulmonary circulation - The movement of blood from the heart, to the lungs, and back to the heart again.
• Systemic circulation - The part of the cardiovascular system which carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body, and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
• Systole - The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood from the chambers into the arteries.
• Vasoconstriction - The constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure.
• Vasodilation - The dilatation of blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure.
• Veins - Blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart.
• Ventricles - Lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out of the heart and into the circulation.
• Venules - Small vessels that drain blood from capillaries into veins.

Cardiovascular physiology Resources
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