THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
The cardiovascular sysstem is also known as the circulatory system. There are two blood circulatory systems in the body.
The pulmonary circulatory system which moves blood between the heart and lungs. It is where oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves the blood.
Then the systemic circulatory system which is the main blood circulatory system that transports blood to the organs, tissues, and cells throughout the body
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and the blood vessels
THE HEART THE BLOOD VESSELS
The heart is a muscular pump that forces blood around the body while the blood vessels are pipe like channels that move blood from your heart, round your body and back to your heart in a loop as shown above. The body contains over 60,000 miles of blood vessels.
There are three types of blood vessels; the VEINS which move blood from the heart to other parts of your body, the ARTERIES which moves blood back to the heart and the CAPILLARIES which are small vessels that connects the arteries to the veins.
Normally the blood vessels are clean and clear. But as you get older and begin to eat, your blood pick up a lot of things including nutrients, air and sometimes, toxins.
Three things may be happening in your body that is making your blood pressure to always be high.
1. CLOGGED BLOOD VESSELS: High cholesterol, blood clots and calcium from your food can build up, forming plaque on the walls of your arteries and veins. This reduces the size of the area in your blood vessel where the blood flows and this in turn, results to the heart pumping harder to push blood round your body.
2. THICK BLOOD: The normal viscosity of blood ranges from 2.4 to 4.1 (water is 1), This is because the viscosity of blood varies at different parts of your body. Viscosity is the measure of how thick and sticky the blood is. When there is high concentration of bad cholesterol in the blood, it can lead to a thicker blood and this in turn will lead to the heart working harder to ensure that blood is pumped round your body. Thick blood can also be caused by a number of other factors, including too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, an imbalance in the protein and cells responsible for blood clotting, certain diseases such as lupus, cancer and/or foods and drugs
3. SHRINKING BLOOD VESSELS: Have you heard about vasodilation?
Vasodilation is the widening of your blood vessels due to the relaxation of the blood vessel's muscular walls. It is a mechanism to enhance blood flow to areas of the body lacking oxygen or nutrients and causes a decrease in systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and an increase in blood flow. On the other hand, Vasoconstriction is the opposite of Vasodilation and it is the shrinking of blood vessels. Cold, Stress, Cigarette smoking, some medication or even an underlying medical condition could cause the blood vessels to shrink
Irrespective of what is happening, be it clogged blood vessel, shrinked blood vessels or thick blood, the heart would always do its best to ensure that all the parts of your body receives adequate blood, nutrient and oxygen even if it means working harder
BLOOD PRESSURE EXPLAINED
Blood pressure is the force of blood on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body. It is important to note that blood pressure does not stay the same at all times. It changes to meet your body’s needs and it is normal for your blood pressure to go up and down throughout the day. Factors such as your body position, breathing, emotional state, exercise and sleep can affect your blood pressure. But if your blood pressure remains high over a long period of time, it can lead to a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or even kidney disease.
Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers. The larger number which is also at the top is the pressure in the arteries as your heart pumps out blood during each beat. This is called the systolic blood pressure whereas the lower number is the pressure as your heart relaxes before the next beat. It is called the diastolic blood pressure. The normal blood pressure is expected to be 120/80 mm HG
THERE IS MORE
Recall that the blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to the parts of your body is called the arteries. When these arteries are clogged by plaques as in (1) above, it can lead to condition known as atherosclerosis, but if the plague caused thickening and stiffness of the arteries, it leads to a condition known as arteriosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis develops slowly as cholesterol, fat, blood cells, and other substances in your blood form plaque in the walls of arteries. As plaque builds up, your arteries narrow reducing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to tissues and organs in the body. A decrease in blood flow can lead to symptoms like angina and if a plaque bursts, blood clots may form and block the artery or travel to other parts of the body.
Atherosclerosis can affect almost any artery in the body, including ones in the heart, brain, arms, legs, pelvis, and kidneys. Atherosclerosis has a different name depending on the arteries that are affected:
Carotid artery disease is plaque buildup in the neck arteries. It reduces blood flow to the brain.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is plaque buildup in the arteries of your heart.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) most often is plaque buildup in the arteries of the legs, but it can also build up in your arms or pelvis.
Renal artery stenosis is plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to your kidneys.
Vertebral artery disease is atherosclerosis in the arteries that supply blood to the back of the brain. This area of the brain controls body functions that are needed to keep you alive.
Mesenteric artery ischemia is plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the intestines
THROMBOSIS
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