Components of the cardiovascular/circulatory system:
The heart
The blood vessels
The blood
The heart functions as a pump
Blood vessels serve as a transport network
Blood is a substance in which oxygen, nutrients, and waste can be transported
Functions of the cardiovascular system:
Maintains pressure
Transports O2, CO2
Transports waste, nutrients, and hormones
Enables healing and prevents infection
Temperature regulation
Helps fight infection
Structure of the cardiac muscle (heart):
The septum is important for separating the left and right sides of the heart
Exercise impacts the walls of the cardiac muscle by making them thicker
Blood vessels in the cardiac muscle:
Vena Cava: vein that takes de-oxygenated blood from the body back to the heart
Aorta: artery that takes oxygenated blood from the heart to the body
Pulmonary Artery: takes de-oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs
Pulmonary Vein: takes oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart
How the heart works:
When the heart is relaxed, it takes in blood
When the heart contracts, it pumps out blood
Blood enters the heart through the atria and leaves through the ventricles
Valves prevent blood flowing back in the wrong direction and maintain blood pressure
Pathway of blood through the heart:
Double circulatory system with two circuits: systemic circuit and pulmonary circuit
Oxygen-loaded blood goes into the left side of the heart, while oxygen-poor blood goes into the right side
The heart is a pump in the double circulatory system
Valves prevent the backflow of blood
Blood vessels in the vascular system:
Arteries carry blood away from the heart under high pressure, with elastic, thick walls and no valves
Veins carry blood to the heart (except pulmonary vein) with lower pressure, thin walls, and valves to prevent backflow
Capillaries are thin vessels that link arteries with veins, allowing for nutrient and gas exchange
How blood is pumped around the body:
The heart pumps blood at high pressure into the arteries
Arteries stretch and contract to move blood along
Capillaries allow for nutrient and gas exchange
Veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart
Vascular shunting:
Process of redistributing blood to active areas and away from inactive areas
Achieved through vasodilation (widening) and vasoconstriction (narrowing) of blood vessels
Heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output:
Resting heart rate is the number of heartbeats per minute
Maximum heart rate can be estimated using the formula: 220 - age
Cardiac output is calculated by multiplying stroke volume by heart rate
Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart per minute
Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle per beat
Cardiac output can be calculated by multiplying the stroke volume by the heart rate
During exercise, the heart beats faster and with greater force to supply the body with oxygen and nutrients
Regular exercise causes changes to the heart:
The heart gets larger
The muscular wall becomes thicker and stronger
Stroke volume at rest increases, leading to a lower resting heart rate
Blood pressure depends on the speed of the blood coming into a vessel and the width of the vessel itself
Factors affecting blood pressure include age, gender, stress, diet, and exercise
Blood is made up of several major components: White Blood Cells, Red Blood Cells, Platelets, and Plasma
Red blood cells carry oxygen, which is vital to muscle action, especially in endurance events
Blood doping illegally boosts an athlete's red blood cell count, improving performance but leading to dangerous blood clots and heart problems
What is blood pressure?
The force of blood against the walls of the arteries.
why is blood pressure important?
because blood supplies oxygen to working muscles so maintaining a steady pressure ensures adequate oxygen to the muscles.
What is blood shunting?
The process of diverting blood from inactive areas to working muscles. This is done by vasoconstriction and vasodilation of the blood vessels to redirect the blood.
Heart rate definition?
Beats per minute
Stroke volume definition?
The amount of blood pumped out of the heart (left ventricle) in one beat
Cardiac output definition?
the amount of blood pumped out of the heart (left ventricle) per minute.