cardiovascular system

Examples of cardiovascular system in the following topics:

• Role of the Cardiovascular Center

  • The cardiovascular system plays a role in body maintenance by transporting hormones and nutrients and removing waste products.
  • The cardiovascular center forms part of the autonomic nervous system and is responsible for regulation of cardiac output.
  • The cardiovascular center can respond to numerous stimuli.
  • The cardiovascular system is composed largely of the circulatory system, or the system of blood vessels that distributes oxygen from the lungs throughout the body.
  • Explain the role of the cardiovascular center in controlling blood pressure

• Distribution of Lymphatic Vessels

  • Its functions include providing sites for certain immune system functions and facilitating plasma circulation in the cardiovascular system.
  • Afferent and efferent lymph vessels are also most concentrated in these areas so they can filter lymph fluid close to the end of the lymphatic system, where fluid is returned into the cardiovascular system.
  • Like cardiovascular capillaries, lymph capillaries are well distributed throughout most of the body's tissues, though they are mostly absent in bone or nervous system tissue.
  • That means the lymphatic system is an open system with linear flow, while the cardiovascular system is a closed system with true circular flow.
  • Describe the structure of the lymphatic system and its role in the immune system and blood circulation

• Systemic and Pulmonary Circulation

  • The cardiovascular system has two distinct circulatory paths, pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation.
  • The cardiovascular system is composed of two circulatory paths: pulmonary circulation, the circuit through the lungs where blood is oxygenated; and systemic circulation, the circuit through the rest of the body to provide oxygenated blood .
  • Oxygen-depleted blood from the body leaves the systemic circulation when it enters the right atrium through the superior and inferior venae cavae.
  • From the right atrium, the blood will travel through the pulmonary circulation to be oxygenated before returning gain to the system circulation.
  • Coronary circulation, blood supply to the heart muscle itself, is also part of the systemic circulation.

• Distribution of Blood

  • Humans have a closed cardiovascular system, meaning that blood never leaves the network of arteries, veins, and capillaries.
  • Humans have a closed cardiovascular system, meaning that the blood never leaves the network of arteries, veins, and capillaries.
  • Generalized vasoconstriction usually results in an increase in systemic blood pressure, but it may also occur in specific tissues, causing a localized reduction in blood flow.
  • The response may be intrinsic (due to local processes in the surrounding tissue) or extrinsic (due to hormones or the nervous system).
  • Additionally, the response may be localized to a specific organ (depending on the metabolic needs of a particular tissue, as during strenuous exercise), or it may be systemic (seen throughout the entire systemic circulation).

• Development of the Cardiovascular System

  • The circulatory system develops initially via vasculogenesis, with the arterial and venous systems developing from distinct embryonic areas.
  • The human arterial system originates from the aortic arches and from the dorsal aortae starting from week 4 of embryonic life.
  • The human arterial and venous systems develop from different embryonic areas.
  • The human venous system develops mainly from the vitelline,umbilical, and cardinal veins, all of which empty into the sinus venosus.
  • The venous system arises during the fourth to eighth weeks of human development.

• Sympathetic Nervous System

  • The sympathetic ganglia are the ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system (the red lines in the diagram below).
  • Therefore, this response is mediated directly via impulses transmitted through the sympathetic nervous system, and indirectly via catecholamines secreted from the adrenal medulla, and acts primarily on the cardiovascular system.
  • The sympathetic nervous system is said to have thoracolumbar outflow based on its location.
  • The parasympathetic nervous system, shown in blue, is a division of the autonomic nervous system.
  • Describe the features of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system

• Short-Term Neural Control

  • The autonomic nervous system plays a critical role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis.
  • They send impulses to the cardiovascular center to regulate blood pressure.
  • The baroreceptors in the venae cavae and right atrium monitor blood pressure as the blood returns to the heart from the systemic circulation.
  • Other neural mechanisms can also have a significant impact on cardiovascular function.
  • These include the limbic system, which links physiological responses to psychological stimuli, chemoreceptor reflexes, generalized sympathetic stimulation, and parasympathetic stimulation.

• Lipids: Sources, Uses in the Body, and Dietary Requirements

  • Numerous studies have shown that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids has positive benefits in terms of infant development, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental illnesses such as depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dementia.
  • In contrast, the consumption of trans fats, such as those present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, are now known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
  • Research suggests that DHA contributes to numerous nervous system functions such as visual acuity, neurogenesis, and synaptogenesis, and that it lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease.

• Effects of Exercise on the Heart

  • Aerobic exercise promotes cardiovascular health, while physical inactivity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
  • Exercise has been shown to protect against nearly every type of chronic acquired cardiovascular disease.
  • Training for these events is done predominantly through cardiovascular exercise like running, swimming, and aerobics.
  • Exercise, along with a healthy diet, is effective at preventing chronic acquired cardiovascular diseases for several reasons.
  • Stress causes sympathetic nervous system activation that increases heart rate and blood sugar, as well as the risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

• Circumventricular Organs

  • Circumventricular organs (CVOs) are positioned at distinct sites around the margin of the ventricular system of the brain.
  • CVOs allow for linkage between the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral blood flow, and are an integral part of neuroendocrine function.
  • Therefore, they provide direct information to the autonomic nervous system from the systemic circulation.
  • Area postrema: Site of the chemoreceptor trigger zone for vomiting, sends major and minor efferents to sections of the brain involved in the autonomic control of cardiovascular and respiratory activities.
  • The secretory organs are responsible for secreting hormones and glycoproteins into the peripheral vascular system using feedback from both the brain environment and external stimuli.