Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main cause of premature mortality in the Southeast Asian region. Over 25% of deaths in the region are caused by CVDs. Heart attacks and strokes are the most prevalent causes of death from CVD.
Aging populations, urbanization, and globalization are three of the main socioeconomic factors driving the rising prevalence of CVDs. The risk of CVDs is increased by metabolic risk factors such as elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, elevated blood lipids, and obesity. Moreover, behavioral risk factors such as alcohol and tobacco use, physical inactivity, and intake of foods high in salt, sugar, and trans fats are also the main contributing factors.
Including CVD management measures in universal health coverage packages is essential to reducing the burden of CVD. For those with high blood lipids, diabetes, and hypertension, medication treatment is required to lower cardiovascular risk and stop heart attacks and strokes. It’s better to enhance heart health to avoid the risk of heart and blood circulation diseases.
Introduction of Cardiovascular System
The blood circulatory system, also known as cardiovascular system, plays a vital role in delivering nutrients as well as oxygen to each cell and organ of the body. This system constitutes blood vessels that carry blood throughout the body as well as the heart. Blood is transported from the heart by the arteries and returned to it by the veins. The blood vessel system distributed in the body like a tree: The main artery, or "trunk," is the aorta. It divides into large arteries, which then branch off into smaller blood vessels. The capillary network, a web of minor vessels, is where the tiniest arteries terminate.The human body has two interconnected blood circulation systems, not just one. Blood is delivered to organs, tissues, and cells through the systemic circulation, enabling them to absorb oxygen and other essential nutrients. The freshly absorbed oxygen that we breathe in enters the bloodstream through the pulmonary circulation (taking place between lungs and heart). The blood releases carbon dioxide at the same moment. This blood is then purified in the lungs, converting deoxygenated blood to oxygenated blood.
Between two heartbeats, the heart relaxes and blood flows from the two upper chambers, known as the atria, into the lower chambers, known as the ventricles, which enlarge, to begin blood circulation. The blood is pumped by both ventricles into the major arteries during the ejection phase, which comes next.
The left ventricle pumps blood that is rich in oxygen into the main artery (the aorta) as part of the systemic circulation. From the main artery, blood flows into progressively smaller and larger arteries before entering the capillary network. There, the blood absorbs carbon dioxide and waste products while releasing oxygen, nutrients, and other essential components. Now low in oxygen, the blood is gathered in veins and moves from the right atrium into the right ventricle.
The pulmonary circulation starts here: Low-oxygen blood is pumped by the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery, which then divides into progressively smaller arteries and capillaries. The pulmonary vesicles (grape-shaped air sacs at the end of the airways) are encircled by a delicate network of capillaries. Here, fresh oxygen gets into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide from the blood goes out of the body through pulmonary vesicles. Carbon dioxide is expelled from our bodies when we breathe out. Blood that is high in oxygen passes through the left atrium and pulmonary veins before entering the left ventricle. The systemic circulation cycle is restarted with the next heartbeat.
What is the Cardiovascular System?
The cardiovascular system, sometimes referred to as the circulatory system, is a loop that begins and finishes at your heart. Because it is a closed system, blood does not enter or exit while traveling from your heart to your body tissues and then back again. The same blood is continuously pumped through the loop repeatedly in such a system. The venous system, which consists of veins and venules, returns blood to your heart after it has been circulated throughout your body via arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. Your blood carries nutrients like oxygen, carbon dioxide, electrolytes, and amino acids throughout your body. The optimal functioning of this system is very essential to our survival. The process starts in your heart, and most of the circulatory function is done in the heart only.Diseases of Cardiovascular System
Your blood circulation system's health can be impacted by a variety of conditions and diseases, including:- Aneurysms: An artery's wall can weaken and enlarge, leading to aneurysms. The artery's weak point may swell as blood passes through it. It's possible for the weak spot to tear and rupture. This condition is potentially fatal. Aneurysms may develop in any artery, but the most common ones are arteries present in the brain, abdomen, and aorta.
- High blood pressure: To carry blood throughout your body, your arteries must work very hard. You suffer from high blood pressure when the blood's force on the blood vessel walls becomes excessively high. Less blood and oxygen reach organs like the heart when the arteries become more rigid or stretched. Heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure may occur due to high blood pressure.
- Plaque deposition: Fat and other substances can accumulate in the blood as a result of high cholesterol and diabetes. All of these substances accumulate on artery walls to form deposits known as plaques. This results in atherosclerosis or hardened/narrowed arteries. The risk of peripheral artery disease (and other artery diseases), coronary artery disease, heart attacks, blood clots and strokes, and kidney disease is increased due to atherosclerosis.
- Venous disease: Lower body veins are typically affected by venous diseases. Blood can pool in leg veins and cause issues like varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency when it can't return to the heart. Formation of blood clots in the legs known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A potentially fatal pulmonary embolism can result from DVT.
Tips for Heart Health
One of the main causes of death in today's world are heart disorders. Certain risk factors, like age, sex at birth, and family history, are irreversible. Over the course of an average lifetime, the heart beats roughly 2.5 billion times, pumping millions of gallons of blood to all areas of the body. Numerous vital cells, oxygen, fuel, hormones, and other substances are all carried in this constant flow. Additionally, it removes metabolic waste products with ease. Vital organs stop working when the heart stops beating, sometimes very quickly.It's incredible that the heart functions so well, for so long, for so many people, considering its never-ending workload. However, it can also fail due to a bad diet, inactivity, smoking, infection, misfortune in the family, and other factors.
However, there are numerous other actions you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease. Start implementing these eight suggestions to improve the health of your heart:
- Quit smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol
- Enhance your overall physical activity
- Exercise daily for at least 30-60 minutes
- Choose a balanced and nutritious diet
- Maintain a health weight and BMI (Basal Metabolic Index)
- Take adequate sleep
- Take power naps in the day
- Minimize stress
- Get screened for certain diseases like diabetes, high blood cholesterol, blood pressure
- Enhance your immunity to minimize exposure to infections
Conclusion
FAQs
Q1: What is the cardiovascular system's primary function?A: The heart and blood circulation system's main goal is to ensure that the body's blood flows appropriately. Blood can be oxygenated through pulmonary circulation, and nutrients and oxygenated blood can travel throughout the body as a result of systemic circulation.
Q2: Which vessels supply blood to the heart'?
A: The heart receives its primary blood supply from the coronary arteries. In order for the heart to contract and trigger blood to circulate throughout the body, the coronary arteries also provide oxygen to the heart muscles.
Q3: What is the circulatory system's central control?
A: There are two main ways that the brain controls the cardiovascular system: 1) feedforward regulation or central command and 2) feedback regulation or reflex control.
