The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, blood vessels and the approximately 5 liters of blood that the blood vessels transport. The cardiovascular system is responsible for transporting oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and cellular waste products throughout the body. It is powered by the body?s hardest-working organ - the heart, which is about the size of a closed fist. Even at rest, the average heart easily pumps over 5 liters of blood throughout the body every minute.
The Heart
The heart is a muscular pumping organ located medial to the lungs along the body?s midline in the thoracic region. The bottom tip of the heart, known as its apex, is turned to the left, so that about 2/3 of the heart is located on the body?s left side with the other 1/3 on right. The top of the heart, known as the heart?s base, connects to the great blood vessels of the body: the aorta, vena cava, pulmonary trunk, and pulmonary veins.
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Circulatory Loops
There are 2 primary circulatory loops in the human body: the pulmonary circulation loop and the systemic circulation loop.
1. Pulmonary circulation transports deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs, where the blood picks up oxygen and returns to the left side of the heart. The pumping chambers of the heart that support the pulmonary circulation loop are the right atrium and right ventricle.
2. Systemic circulation carries highly oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to all the tissues of the body (with the exception of the heart and lungs). Systemic circulation removes wastes from body tissues and returns deoxygenated blood to the right side of the heart. The left atrium and left ventricle of the heart are the pumping chambers for the systemic circulation loop.