The Circulatory System /Cardiovascular System Anatomy

Vocabulary

Aorta, arteries, atria, blood, blood vessels, capillaries, cardiovascular system, circulatory system, heart, hypertension, pulmonary circuit, systemic circuit, vascular, vascular system, veins, venae cavae, ventricles

Vocabulary

1. AORTA – Oxygen-rich blood leaves the heart via the aorta (the largest artery), which branches into a network of smaller arteries
2. ARTERIES – The blood vessels that transport oxygen-rich blood and nutrients FROM THE HEART to the body
3. ATRIA (plural of Atrium) – The two upper chambers of the heart
4. BLOOD – A fluid that transports nutrients, hormones and oxygen needed to sustain tissues and organs, and takes waste products to the kidneys and liver
5. BLOOD VESSELS – Tubular channels through which blood circulates
6. CAPILLARIES – The smallest and most numerous of the blood vessels (source); they carry blood between arteries and veins (source)
7. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM – The heart, blood vessels and blood
8. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM – Another name for the cardiovascular system
9. HEART – Organ that pumps blood through the body via arteries and veins
10. HYPERTENSION – Chronically high blood pressure
11. PULMONARY CIRCUIT – The path of circulation between the heart and lungs
12. SYSTEMIC CIRCUIT – The path of circulation between the heart and the rest of the body (excluding the lungs)
13. VASCULAR – Refers to vessels for circulating fluids
14. VASCULAR SYSTEM – Another name for the cardiovascular system
15. VEINS – The blood vessels that transport blood TO THE HEART from the body
16. VENAE CAVAE – The two largest veins in the body; they return blood from the body to the heart
17. VENTRICLES – The two lower chambers in the heart

Introduction