Heart and Circulatory System
Your circulatory system is made up of your heart, blood, blood vessels and lungs. In your circulatory system your heart pumps blood transporting nutrients, water and oxygen to your bodys cells. Your circulatory system allows your lungs to rid the body of waste and carbon dioxide and bring oxygen into your blood.
Exercise and healthy eating are two ways you can help keep your circulatory system healthy. Smoking does damage to healthy blood circulation. When you smoke the carbon monoxide and nicotine entering your body have negative effects on your blood and blood vessels and constrict circulation.
Signs of poor circulation include cold hands and feet, numbness, dizziness, migraines, varicose veins and pain in your feet or legs. Consult a doctor if you have these symptoms. Untreated, poor circulation can lead to stroke, high blood pressure, kidney damage and other diseases.
Recently Answered
- Q What are the different valves in the heart?
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The heart is a pump made of muscle tissue. The heart has four pumping chambers: two upper chambers, called atria, and two lower chambers, called ventricles. In order to keep the blood flowing forward during its journey through the heart, there... Full Answer
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- Q What are the symptoms of an arteriovenous malformation?
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AVMs are congenital (which means that patients are born with it), they are not hereditary (which means that they are not passed from parents to children). Most AVMs declare themselves by bleeding in adults younger than 40 years old. Some AVMs declare... Full Answer
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- Q What does the pulmonic valve do?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThe pulmonic valve allows blood to flow from the right ventricle of the heart into the lungs to pick up oxygen. This animation shows more about heart valves and other parts of the heart. Full Answer
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- Q What is the purpose of the heart chambers?
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The normal heart has two distinct sides and four “holding areas” called chambers for circulating blood. The upper chambers – called the right atrium and the left atrium – collect blood flowing in from the body and in from... Full Answer
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- Q What does the tricuspid valve do?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThe tricuspid valve separates the right atrium and right ventricle. It allows blood to flow into the ventricle, but not backwards into the atrium. Watch this animation to learn more about this valve and other parts of the heart. Full Answer
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- Q What does the aortic valve in the heart do?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThe aortic valve opens to allow blood to flow into the aorta and then closes to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. This animation shows the aortic valve in action. Full Answer
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- Q What is the function of the heart's valves?
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In a normally functioning heart, four valves regulate blood flow so that blood travels through the heart in one direction and at the right rate. When something goes wrong with one of these valves, the heart and rest of the body do not get proper amounts... Full Answer
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- Q What is the mitral valve?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThe mitral valve is located on the left side of the heart. Blood flows from the lungs into the left atrium on the top of the heart, through the mitral valve into the left ventricle on the bottom. Full Answer
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- Q What should I think about if I have an electrocardiogram?
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Sometimes your electrocardiogram may look normal even when you have heart disease. For this reason, the EKG should always be interpreted along with your symptoms, past health, physical examination, and, if necessary, other test results. An... Full Answer
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- Q When do I need an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG)?
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Reasons for your physician to request an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) -- the simplest and fastest procedures used to evaluate the heart -- include, but are not limited to, the following: to determine limits for safe exercise in patients who... Full Answer
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