The circulatory system is often called the cardiovascular system. It consists of the heart, the blood vessels and the blood, and is responsible for circulating oxygen and nutrients to all body cells, and removing carbon dioxide and other waste products from the body cells. There are several common diseases and disorders of the circulatory system.
Function
The circulatory system is a mechanical pumping system, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." In many ways, it can be imagined as a pump--the heart--circulating a fluid, or the blood, through a set of pipes called blood vessels. Just as in a mechanical pumping system, trouble in any of the three major system components--pump, pipes or fluid--leads to inefficient function or failure. Diseases and disorders of the circulatory system can occur in any of these three elements.
Types
Common blood-related diseases affect the oxygen-delivering ability of the circulatory system. For instance, sickle cell anemia causes formation of misshapen red blood cells, explain Drs. Reginald Garrett and Charles Grisham in their book "Biochemistry." Heart disease results from damage to or weakening of the heart muscle, and includes such disease processes as congestive heart failure, in which the heart is unable to pump adequately, and heart attack, which leads to muscle cell death. Vessel-related diseases include atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Considerations
While genetic diseases and disorders of the cardiovascular system exist from birth, most common circulatory diseases are the result of aging and health or lifestyle factors. Explains the American Heart Association, many forms of circulatory disease result from buildup of cholesterol plaques in arteries that carry blood to the body or to the heart muscle itself. As such, high-fat or high-cholesterol diets, which increase the likelihood of plaque formation, contribute to incidence of circulatory disease.
Prevention/Solution
Preventing circulatory disease or helping to mitigate damage from existing circulatory disease involves making lifestyle and dietary changes that positively impact heart and vessel health. Notes the American Heart Association, regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle and helps to keep it healthy. Balanced diets low in animal fats and high in fiber help lower cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis. Low-stress lifestyles also positively impact heart health, since they reduce the day-to-day stress on the heart.
Expert Insight
To assess circulatory health and help to prevent cardiovascular disease, physicians routinely check for signs of heart health at regular office visits. One common test, a cholesterol blood test, uses blood cholesterol as a marker of heart disease risk. Notes MayoClinic.com, high levels of "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, indicate that an individual is at risk for developing any one of a number of circulatory diseases and disorders, including atherosclerosis, which can lead to congestive heart failure, heart attack and a host of other problems.
References
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- American Heart Association: Atherosclerosis
- American Heart Association:Healthy Lifestyle
- MayoClinic.com: Cholesterol
