Cardiovascular System

• The pulmonary system transports blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart
• the systemic system transports blood from the heart to the body systems and muscles and back to the heart
• arteries take blood away from the heart
• arteries:

  • thick and elastic walls
  • high blood pressure
• veins take blood into the heart
• Veins:

  • Low blood pressure
  • thin walls
  • valves to prevent backflow of blood
• capillaries are very thin which allow nutrients and waste products to pass through
• heart rate is the number of beats per minute
• heart rate increases as we exercise, this is due to a greater demand for oxygen at the working muscles
• the heart has four chambers: right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle
• deoxygenated blood then passes through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle
• stroke volume is the volume of blood ejected from the heart per beat
• cardiac output is the volume of blood ejected from the heart per minute
• the bicuspid valve prevents the blood flowing backwards from the left ventricle to the left atrium
• the tricuspid valve prevents blood flowing backwards from the right right ventricle to the right atrium
• semi lunar valve prevents the blood flowing backwards to the heart or ventricle once it has left
• Immideate effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system:

  • increased heart rate
  • increased stroke volume
  • increased cardiac output
  • greater demand for oxygen at the working muscles
• long term benifits of exercise on the cardiovascular system:

  • stronger and more efficent heart
  • cardiac hypertrophy
  • decreased resting heart rate
  • increased stroke volume
  • quicker recovery rate