Cardiovascular physiology

Cardiovascular Physiology

Cardiovascular physiology is the study of the heart and the blood vessels and the physical, mechanical, and biochemical functions that influence the circulation of blood throughout the body.

Pronunciation

Car-di-o-vas-cu-lar Phy-si-ol-o-gy

Etymology

The term "cardiovascular" is derived from the Greek words "kardia," meaning heart, and "vasculum," meaning little vessel. "Physiology" comes from the Greek words "physis," meaning nature, and "-logia," meaning study of.

Heart

The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The heart is divided into four chambers: the left atrium, the right atrium, the left ventricle, and the right ventricle.

Blood Vessels

Blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and the tissues; and the veins, which carry blood from the capillaries back toward the heart.

Circulatory System

The circulatory system, also known as the cardiovascular system, is an organ system that permits blood to circulate and transport nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, and blood cells to and from the cells in the body to provide nourishment and help in fighting diseases, stabilize temperature and pH, and maintain homeostasis.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Cardiovascular physiology
Wikipedia's article - Cardiovascular physiology

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Cardiovascular physiology