MECHANISM OF HOW RESPIRATORY

AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEMS WORK

TOGETHER
How does the respiratory mechanism work?
When you inhale (breath in), air enters your lungs, and oxygen from that air moves to your blood. At
the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste gas, moves from your blood to the lungs and is exhaled
(breathed out). This process, called gas exchange, is essential to life.

 The respiratory mechanism is a way of controlling how much carbon dioxide is in the
blood. Elevating arterial CO2 or decreasing pH increases the rhythmic stimulation of the
respiratory muscles by the medulla. Normally control of CO2 is based on the rate and depth of
ventilation.

 The respiratory mechanism is a way of controlling how much carbon dioxide is in the
blood. Elevating arterial CO2 or decreasing pH increases the rhythmic stimulation of the
respiratory muscles by the medulla. Normally control of CO2 is based on the rate and depth of
ventilation.

 The circulation system (cardiovascular system) pump blood from the heart to the heart to the
lung to get oxygen. The heart then sends oxygenated blood through arteries to the rest of the
body. The veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart to start the circulation process
over. Your circulatory system is critical to healthy organs, muscles and tissues.
What is the circulatory system?

Your heart and blood vessels make up the circulatory system. The main
function of the circulatory system is to provide oxygen, nutrients and
hormones to muscles, tissues and organs throughout your body. Another
part of the circulatory system is to remove waste from cells and organs so
your body can dispose of it.

Your heart pumps blood to the body through a network of arteries and
veins (blood vessels). Your circulatory system can also be defined as your
cardiovascular system. Cardio means heart, and vascular refers to blood
vessels.
The circulatory system provides blood to all the body's tissues so they can
function.

FUNCTION
What does the circulatory system do?

The circulatory system’s function is to move blood throughout the body.

This blood circulation keeps organs, muscles and tissues healthy and
working to keep you alive.

The circulatory system also helps your body get rid of waste products. This
waste includes:

 Carbon dioxide from respiration (breathing).

 Other chemical byproducts from your organs.
 Waste from things you eat and drink.

How does the circulatory system work?

Your circulatory system functions with the help of blood vessels that
include arteries, veins and capillaries. These blood vessels work with your
heart and lungs to continuously circulate blood through your body. Here’s
how:

1. The heart’s bottom right pumping chamber (right ventricle) sends

blood that’s low in oxygen (oxygen-poor blood) to the lungs. Blood
travels through the pulmonary trunk (the main pulmonary artery).
2. Blood cells pick up oxygen in the lungs.
3. Pulmonary veins carry the oxygenated blood from the lungs to the
heart’s left atrium (upper heart chamber).
4. The left atrium sends the oxygenated blood into the left ventricle
(lower chamber). This muscular part of the heart pumps blood out to
the body through the arteries.
5. As it moves through your body and organs, blood collects and drops
off nutrients, hormones and waste products.
 6. The veins carry deoxygenated blood and carbon dioxide back to the
heart, which sends the blood to the lungs.
7. Your lungs get rid of the carbon dioxide when you exhale.

ANATOMY
What are the circulatory system parts?

The parts of your circulatory system are your:

 Heart, a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout your body.

 Blood vessels, which include your arteries, veins and capillaries.
 Blood, made up of red and white blood cells, plasma and platelets.

What are the circulatory system circuits?

Your circulatory system has three circuits. Blood circulates through your
heart and through these circuits in a continuous pattern:

 The pulmonary circuit: This circuit carries blood without oxygen

from the heart to the lungs. The pulmonary veins return oxygenated
blood to the heart.
 The systemic circuit: In this circuit, blood with oxygen, nutrients
and hormones travels from the heart to the rest of the body. In the
veins, the blood picks up waste products as the body uses up the
oxygen, nutrients and hormones.
 The coronary circuit: Coronary refers to your heart’s arteries. This
circuit provides the heart muscle with oxygenated blood. The
coronary circuit then returns oxygen-poor blood to the heart’s right
upper chamber (atrium) to send to the lungs for oxygen.

What are the types of blood vessels?

There are three main types of blood vessels:

 Arteries: Arteries are thin, muscular tubes that carry oxygenated

blood away from the heart and to every part of your body. The aorta
 is the body’s largest artery. It starts at the heart and travels up the
chest (ascending aorta) and then down into the stomach
(descending aorta). The coronary arteries branch off the aorta, which
then branch into smaller arteries (arterioles) as they get farther from
your heart.
 Veins: These blood vessels return oxygen-depleted blood to the
heart. Veins start small (venules) and get larger as they approach
your heart. Two central veins deliver blood to your heart. The
superior vena cava carries blood from the upper body (head and
arms) to the heart. The inferior vena cava brings blood up from the
lower body (stomach, pelvis and legs) to the heart. Veins in the legs
have valves to keep blood from flowing backward.
 Capillaries: These blood vessels connect very small arteries
(arterioles) and veins (venules). Capillaries have thin walls that allow
oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and waste products to pass into
and out of cells.

What are the circulatory system organs?

Your heart is the only circulatory system organ. Blood goes from the heart
to the lungs to get oxygen. The lungs are part of the respiratory system.
Your heart then pumps oxygenated blood through arteries to the rest of
the body.

CONDITIONS AND DISORDERS

What conditions affect the circulatory system?

Many conditions can affect the health of your circulatory system,

including:

 Aneurysms: Aneurysms occur when an artery wall weakens and

enlarges. The weak spot can bulge as blood moves through the
artery. The weak spot may tear, causing a life-threatening rupture.
Aneurysms can affect any artery, but aortic aneurysms, abdominal
aortic aneurysms and brain aneurysms are the most common.
  High blood pressure: Your arteries work hard to circulate blood
throughout the body. When the pressure (force of blood against the
blood vessel walls) gets too high, you develop high blood pressure.
When the arteries become less elastic (stretchy), less blood and
oxygen reaches organs like the heart. High blood pressure puts you
at risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes.
 Plaque deposits: High cholesterol and diabetes can lead to fat and
other substances collecting in the blood. These substances form
deposits called plaques on artery walls. This condition
is atherosclerosis, or narrowed or hardened arteries. Atherosclerosis
increases the risk of blood clots and strokes, coronary artery
disease, peripheral artery disease (and other artery diseases), heart
attacks and kidney disease.
 Venous disease: Venous diseases tend to affect veins in the lower
body. Problems like chronic venous insufficiency and varicose
veins occur when blood can’t flow back to the heart and pools in leg
veins. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the legs, can lead
to a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

CARE
How can I prevent circulatory system problems?

These steps can protect the health of your circulatory system:

 Aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week.

 Eat a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables and fiber and low in
saturated fats and processed foods. Consider a Mediterranean-style
diets or plant-based diet, as they appear to be the most heart
healthy.
 Find healthy ways to ease stress.
 Maintain a healthy weight.
 Manage conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high
cholesterol.
 Get help to quit smoking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How big is the circulatory system?

Your body has more than 60,000 miles of blood vessels that circulate about
1.5 gallons of blood every day.

What is red blood and blue blood?

All blood is red. Hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells, mixes
with oxygen to give blood its red color. Blood that’s rich in oxygen is
known as red blood.

Your veins carry oxygen-poor blood. This is sometimes called blue blood
because your veins can look blue underneath the skin. The blood is
actually red, but the low oxygen levels give veins a bluish hue.

Do arteries always carry oxygenated blood?

For the most part, yes. The exceptions are pulmonary arteries and veins.
Pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Pulmonary
veins return the oxygenated blood to the heart.