Structures of the Cardiovascular System
HEART arteries of the upper torso
PERICARDIUM and extremities
CORONARY ARTERIES brachiocephalic
MYOCARDIUM right subclavian
ENDOCARDIUM left subclavian
superiorVENA CAVA axillary
inferior vena cava brachial
right atrium radial
tricuspid valve ulnar
right ventricle palmar arch
pulmonary valve arteries of the trunk
right pulmonary ARTERY abdominal aorta
left pulmonary artery intercostal
left atrium celiac
mitral valve gastric
left ventricle hepatic
aortic valve splenic
AORTA superior mesenteric
SEPTUM inferior mesenteric
SINOATRIAL(SA) NODE renal
BUNDLE OFHIS arteries of the lower torso
leftBUNDLE BRANCH and extremities
right bundle branch common iliac
Purkinje fibers external iliac
ATRIOVENTRICULAR(AV) NODE internal iliac
arteries of the head and neck femoral
occipital deep femoral
temporal popliteal
CIRCLE OFWILLIS anterior tibial
facial posterior tibial
maxillary dorsal arch
carotid veins of the head and neck
superior sagittal sinus portal
inferior sagittal sinus renal
transverse sinus superior mesenteric
anterior facial inferior mesenteric
external jugular external iliac
internal jugular internal iliac
veins of the upper torso veins of the lower torso
and extremities and extremities
brachiocephalic femoral
subclavian popliteal
axillary anterior tibial
brachial posterior tibial
cephalic great saphenous
basilic small saphenous
veins of the trunk dorsal arch
splenicFunctions of the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system circulates blood
through the body to supply cells with nutrients,
notably oxygen and GLUCOSE, and to remove the
waste byproducts of METABOLISM. The centerpiece
of this system is the heart, a muscular organ about
the size and shape of a closed fist that beats 70 to
90 times a minute in a healthy adult at rest. The
body’s circulation is a closed, pressurized system
that contains a constant blood volume of about 10
liters (2.6 gallons). An extensive network of blood
vessels–which, if stretched end to end, would tra-
verse 100,000 miles—transports that blood
through the body.
Cardiovascular function defines life and death.
The cardiovascular system is among the first ofTHE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
The cardiovascular system circulates BLOODthrough the body to deliver nutrients and collect wastes from cells. Physi-
cian specialists who treat conditions of the HEARTand blood vessels are cardiologists. This section, “The Cardiovascular
System,” presents an overview of the structures and functions of the cardiovascular system, a discussion of cardiovascu-
lar health and disorders, and entries about the health conditions that can affect the cardiovascular system.
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