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 When do I need an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG)?
-
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
2 Answers
A
- Q Can an interventional radiologist treat my chest pain?
-
Interventional radiologists do not treat angina; treatment is done by interventional cardiologists. Interventional radiologists treat similar problems in the legs, carotid arteries, renal arteries and other areas of the body. Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What is an arteriovenous malformation?
-
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are defects of the circulatory system that arise during embryonic or fetal development or soon after birth. They consist of snarled tangles of arteries and veins. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to... Full Answer
5 Answers
A
- Q What should I know before I have an exercise electrocardiogram?
-
An exercise EKG is not always accurate. The test results from an exercise EKG are always evaluated along with other information, such as your symptoms and other risk factors. Some people who have a normal exercise electrocardiogram test may still have... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q Does beer have the same benefits as wine when it comes to heart health?
-
Although red wine typically gets the most attention among alcoholic beverages when it comes to heart health benefits, beer can also do a heart some good when consumed in moderate quantities. One in three adults has some form of heart disease, and... Full Answer
3 Answers
A
- Q What are heart healthy foods?
-
Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineHere are some heart-healthy foods: Nuts contain monounsaturated fats to keep your arteries clear, as well as levels of precursors of serotonin to boost mood. 1 ounce of nuts a day is just right. (More is fine, but be careful of calorie overload.)... Full Answer
8 Answers
A
- Q What are the risks of a coronary calcium scan?
-
Coronary calcium scanning has very few risks. The test isn't invasive, which means that no surgery is done and no instruments are inserted into your body. Coronary calcium scanning doesn't require an injection of contrast dye to make your heart or... Full Answer
2 Answers
A
- Q How can I get an accurate blood pressure reading?
-
Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineThere are six common goof-ups when healthcare providers check blood pressure -- and they throw off the readings 93% of the time! If you’re not tested using "gold standard" blood pressure procedures, your systolic blood pressure is probably... Full Answer
6 Answers
A
- Q Can exercise lower blood pressure?
-
Exercising regularly is one of the ways you can lower your blood pressure. Here are a few additional tips to keeping your blood pressure under control. Follow a healthy eating plan that includes limiting the amount of sodium and alcohol that you consume... Full Answer
6 Answers
A
- Q What is a healthy blood pressure reading?
-
Your blood pressure can vary from day to day - even from one minute to the next - so monitoring it over a period of time gives you a more accurate indication of whether or not yours is consistently high or normal. A normal blood pressure is an... Full Answer
3 Answers
A
