Cardiovascular System

The Cardiovascular system consists of the following tissues and organs

1)    The Heart

2)    The Circulatory system: arteries, veins, capillaries

3)    The Blood

4)    The lymph

The Role of the Heart and Circulatory system

To Carry blood between various  parts of the body.

Each organ has a major artery supplying it with blood from the heart and a major vein which returns it.

The flow of blood is maintained by

1)    The pumping action of the heart

2)    The Contraction of skeletal muscle (contraction of muscles squeezes veins and increases the pressure of the blood

3)    Inspiratory movements (Pressure of the thorax reduced when breathing in this helps to draw blood back to the heart)

Arteries carry blood away from the heart

Veins carry blood to the heart

Capillaries connect arteries and veins (forming a network in the tissues)

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