54. The pumping action of the heart is essential to maintain blood circulation. It beats about 75 times per minute. The amount of blood pumped from one ventricle per minute is called the cardiac output .
55. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins.
56. The heart is at the center of the circulatory system and it connects with arteries (which transport blood away from the heart) and veins (which transport blood towards the heart). Between the two are capillaries.
57. The heart propels blood in one direction. It contracts and relaxes. The right side pumps blood to the lungs. The left side pumps to the rest of the body.
58.
59. The pulmonary circuit consists of the right side of the heart (right atrium and right ventricle), the pulmonary arteries, which convey poorly oxygenated blood to the lungs, and the pulmonary veins, which convey oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.
60. The systemic circuit consists of the chambers on the left side of the heart (left atrium and left ventricle) and all the named blood vessels that carry blood to the tissues (arteries) and all the named blood vessels that return the blood from the tissues (veins) back to the right atrium of the heart. The tissue capillaries are included. Aorta Superior vena cava Inferior vena cava