The heart is the pump at the centre of the body’s circulatory system. The function of the circulatory system is to supply every cell in the body with essential oxygen, nutrients and hormones, and to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and other waste products of metabolism .
- The cardiovascular (circulatory) system comprises of 2 loops: the pulmonary and the systemic circulation.
- It may be helpful to think of the heart not as a single pump but rather a left and a right pump.
- LEFT: circulates oxygenated blood through the body (systemic)
- RIGHT: circulates deoxygenated blood through the lungs (pulmonary)
- The total volume of blood pushed from the ventricles in one minute, is known as cardiac output
Reference: Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson B.H. (2009) Principles of Anatomy and Physiology: Organization, support and movement and control of the human body. Vol, 1. 12th Edition. John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken New Jersey
Page last reviewed: 20 May 2020