The Circulatory System


  • Today's Paramedic quote:

    Blood goes round and round; air goes in and out; any variation from this is bad. - Paramedic 101.

  • PARAMEDIC HELP

    • Paramedic Study Notes
    • Paediatric Emergency Notes
    • ECG Tutorial
  • PARAMEDIC INFO

    • Ambulance FAQs
    • Ambulance News
    • Anatomy and Physiology
    • Chest Pain
    • Emergency Management
    • Health
    • Laughter is the Best Medicine
    • Medical Disorders
    • Medical Eponyms
    • Medical Liability
    • Medical Science
    • Medical Signs
    • Medical Syndromes
    • New Technologies
    • Paramedic Case Studies
    • Paramedic Education
    • Paramedic Equipment
    • Paramedic Exam Preparation
    • Paramedic Jobs
    • Paramedic Skills
    • Pathophysiology
    • Patient Assessment
    • Real Paramedic Stories
    • Trauma Assessment

The Circulatory System

The circulatory system is often refered to as the cardiovascular system. In its simplest form, the circulatory system may be explained through a process of plumbing, involving the heart (the pumpt), the blood vessels (the piping) and the blood (water).

The heart pumps deoxygenated blood (blood without oxygen) up through the pulmonary artery into the lungs, where each red blood cell collects oxygen. It is then returned to the heart through the pulmonary vein, and then pumped by the left ventricle of the heart (the main workhorse), through the blood vessels (piping) of the body, where it distributes oxygen to all the cells.

Blood Flow Through Heart Diagram

Blood leaving the heart is pumped through arteries, which become smaller and then are called arterioles, followed by by body capillaries (where the last of the oxygen is removed from the red blood cells), the blood then returns to the heart via small veins called venules, followed by veins and then re-enters the heart through the vena-cava.

The heart perfuses itself first (provides oxygen) by sending oxygenated blood into the coronary arteries off the aorta. It is also important to note that the heart gets its oxygen from blood which is pumped through the coronary arteries, and not through the left and right ventricle chambers. This is why coronary artery disease is associated with such a high mortality rate.

To learn more about cardiac chest pain please follow my link to Chest Pain.



Copyright: Emergency Medical Paramedic 2010-2018. All rights reserved.
All information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice.
Authors  Privacy Policy  Disclaimer  Advertising Policy  Contact Us  Our Goals