Circulatory System: Facts, Function &

Diseases
By Kim Ann Zimmermann, Live Science Contributor | March 11, 2016 05:30pm
ET

https://www.livescience.com/22486-circulatory-system.html

The circulatory system is a vast network of organs and vessels that is

responsible for the flow of blood, nutrients, hormones, oxygen and
other gases to and from cells. Without the circulatory system, the
body would not be able to fight disease or maintain a stable internal
environment such as proper temperature and pH known as
homeostasis.

Description of the circulatory system

While many view the circulatory system, also known as the
cardiovascular system, as simply a highway for blood, it is made up of
three independent systems that work together: the heart
(cardiovascular); lungs (pulmonary); and arteries, veins, coronary and
portal vessels (systemic), according to the U.S National Library of
Medicine (NLM).
In the average human, about 2,000 gallons (7,572 liters) of blood
travel daily through about 60,000 miles (96,560 kilometers) of blood
vessels, according to the Arkansas Heart Hospital. An average adult
has 5 to 6 quarts (4.7 to 5.6 liters) of blood, which is made up of
plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. In addition to
blood, the circulatory system moves lymph, which is a clear fluid that
helps rid the body of unwanted material.

The heart, blood, and blood vessels make up the cardiovascular

component of the circulatory system. It includes the pulmonary
circulation, a "loop" through the lungs where blood is oxygenated. It
also incorporates the systemic circulation, which runs through the rest
of the body to provide oxygenated blood, according to NLM.

[Top 10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart]

The pulmonary circulatory system sends oxygen-depleted blood away
from the heart through the pulmonary artery to the lungs and returns
oxygenated blood to the heart through the pulmonary veins, according
to the Mayo Clinic.

Oxygen-deprived blood enters the right atrium of the heart and flows
through the tricuspid valve (right atrioventricular valve) into the right
ventricle. From there it is
pumped through the
pulmonary semilunar valve into
the pulmonary artery on its
way to the lungs. When it gets
to the lungs, carbon dioxide is
released from the blood and
oxygen is absorbed. The
pulmonary vein sends the
oxygen-rich blood back to the
heart, according to NLM.

The systemic circulation is

the portion of the circulatory
system is the network of
veins, arteries and blood
vessels that transports blood
from heart, services the
body's cells and then re-
enters the heart, the Mayo
Clinic noted.

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Diseases of the circulatory system

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is
the leading cause of death in the United States. Because of its
vastness and critical nature, it is one of the systems of the body most
prone to disease.
One of the most common diseases of the
circulatory system is arteriosclerosis, in which
the fatty deposits in the arteries causes the
walls to stiffen and thicken the walls. According
to the Mayo Clinic, the causes are a buildup of
fat, cholesterol and other material in the artery walls. This can
restrict blood flow or in severe cases stop it all together, resulting in a
heart attack or stroke.

Stroke involves blockage of the blood vessels to the brain and is

another major condition of the circulatory system, according to
Mitchell Weinberg of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Risk
factors include smoking, diabetes and high cholesterol, he noted.

Another circulatory disease, hypertension commonly called high

blood pressure causes the heart to work harder and can lead to such
complications as a heart attack, a stroke, or kidney failure, the NLM
noted.

An aortic aneurysm occurs when the aorta is damaged and starts to

bulge or eventually tear, which can cause severe internal bleeding. This
weakness can be present at birth or the result of atherosclerosis,
obesity, high blood pressure or a combination of these conditions,
according to Weinberg.

Peripheral arterial disease (also known as PAD) typically involves areas

of narrowing or blockage within an artery, according to Jay
Radhakrishnan, an interventional radiologist in Houston, Texas. In
addition, chronic venous insufficiency (also known as CVI) involves
areas reflux (or backward flow) within the superficial veins of the
lower extremities.

PAD is diagnosed with noninvasive testing including ultrasound, CT scan,

and/or MRI. Ultrasound is the least expensive of these methods, but
also gives the least amount of detail, as CT and MRI show a much
higher degree of anatomic detail when identifying areas of
narrowing/blockage within an artery. CVI is diagnosed with ultrasound
as the venous reflux can be measured accurately by ultrasound, which
ultimately guides treatment.

Study of the circulatory system

Cardiologists are specialists who are certified to diagnose, treat and

prevent disease of the heart, arteries and veins. Cardiologists are
certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) after
meeting educational and practice requirements. Before being certified
as cardiologists, those aspiring to the specialty must be certified in
internal medicine.

Then cardiologists can become certified in one of several cardiology

subspecialties, including transplant cardiology, cardiovascular disease,
clinical cardiac electrophysiology and interventional cardiology.

Milestones
Some milestones in the history and study of the circulatory
system include:

16th century B.C.: The Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian

medical document, provides some of the earliest writing on the
circulatory. It describes the connection of the heart to the
arteries.
6th century B.C.: Ayurvedic physician Sushruta in ancient India
describes how vital fluids circulate through the body.
2nd century A.D.: the Greek physician Galen documents how
blood vessels carry blood, identifies venous (dark red) and
arterial (brighter and thinner) blood and notes that each has a
separate functions.
1628: William Harvey, an English physician, first describes
blood circulation.
1706: Raymond de Vieussens, a French anatomy professor, first
describes the structure of the heart's chambers and vessels.
1733: Stephen Hales, an English clergyman and scientist,
measures blood pressure for the first time.
1816: Rene T.H. Laennec, a French physician, invents the
stethoscope.
1902: American physician James B. Herrick first documents
heart disease resulting from hardening of the arteries.
1903: Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven invents the
electrocardiograph.
1952: The first successful open heart surgery takes place by F.
John Lewis, an American surgeon.
1967: South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard performs the
first transplant of a whole heart from one person to another.
1982: American physician Robert Jarvik designs the first
artificial heart and American surgeon Willem DeVries implants
it.
Editor's Note: If you'd like more information on this topic, we
recommend the following book, available on Amazon.com:
Human Body: An Illustrated Guide

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