Introduction
The cardiovascular system is a key component of the circulatory system. This organ system encompasses three crucial components: blood, blood vessels, and the heart. The cardiovascular system blood circulation through the pumping action of the heart, in addition to facilitating in the transport of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nutrients (for example, electrolytes) to and from body cells. This is essential in providing nourishment to the body, maintenance of homeostasis, and regulation of body temperature (Iaizzo, 2010). The goal of this essay is to explore the key roles of the cardiovascular system, including the structure and functions of the three components of the cardiovascular system: the heart, blood, and main blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries).
Blood vessels
The three main blood vessels involved in the cardiovascular system are arteries, veins, and capillaries. Arteries such as the pulmonary arteries and aorta are involved in the arterial circulation. These arteries help to transport blood from the heart to other parts of the body.
Coronary arteries are an exception though, seeing as they transport oxygen-laden blood to the heart muscle. Healthy arteries tend to be elastic and strong but usually narrow in between heartbeats. In this way, arteries help to maintain consistent blood pressure. Their flexible walls also enable arteries to adjust to the rate and amount of blood that flows to various parts of the body. Arteries branch into arterioles. These are small passages that permit blood flow. Arterioles further branch to form the smallest blood vessels known as capillaries. These play a key role in enabling blood circulation between arteries and veins. Capillaries aid in the transport of oxygenated blood from arteries to body tissues. They also help in transporting blood back to the veins. Following their passage via body tissues, capillaries network congregate to form venules which further merge into veins. Veins are essential in transporting blood from body organs back to the heart.
Heart
The heart is a central component of the circulatory system. It helps to pump deoxygenated blood to lungs as well as oxygenated blood to various parts of the body. The human heart is characterised by a single ventricle and one atrium per circulation. Collectively, both the pulmonary and systemic circulation consists of four chambers: left ventricle, right ventricle, right atrium, and left atrium (Tieck, 2011). The right atrium is located on the right side of the heart, in the upper chamber. The right atrium received deoxygenated blood and permits its passage into the right ventricle where it is then transported to the lungs via the pulmonary artery to facilitate the elimination of carbon dioxide and aid in re-oxygenation.
The re-oxygenated blood then moves from the lungs into the left atrium. The pulmonary vein is also involved in transporting the re-oxygenated blood into the left atrium. From there, the aorta transports the blood to various body organs.
