Thursday, October 27, 2016

Mid-unit Summary

During this unit in Anatomy, we have covered the concepts of the heart anatomy/ physiology, blood composition, blood vessel anatomy/ physiology, and cardiovascular diseases so far.

The heart is composed of four main chambers: Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle. These chambers allow blood to flow through the heart and be pushed where it needs to go. The heart is covered by the pericardium, which holds the heart in place. The heart also contains valves, which keeps the blood from flowing backwards in the heart. When the heart contracts, the blood pressure is called systole, while the pressure when it relaxes is called diastole.



The circulatory system is used to transport materials that is needed by near by cells and remove waste materials from cells as well. The major organs that compose the circulatory system are the heart, lungs, kidneys, small intestine, large intestine, liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Together, these organs work together to keep the circulatory system functioning. The heart is the main organ running the system. With every beat, it pumps blood in and out of all of these major organs to keep the body functioning.

Blood vessels are used to transport blood towards the heart. Arteries take bloods away from the heart. A disease called atherosclerosis can occur if plaque builds up in a person's arteries. In the article titled "Atherosclerosis: The New View," the author describes how it occurs. It explains that atherosclerosis can occur due to inflammation in the vessel walls, which triggers white blood cells to congregate in that area, which try to consume the fatty deposits in that area. The white blood cell becomes foamy, as it cannot consume that much fat, so it turns into plaque. As time goes on, the cells create a layer of smooth muscle tissue over the layer of plaque, but if it gets reopened it can cause many problems. If the layer of smooth muscle cells cracks, the plaque is released into the blood stream, which causes the blood to clot in the spot of the tear. This blood clot is extremely dangerous, as it can clog the vessel, possible triggering a heart attack.

Blood is another very important thing. It is mainly composed of red blood cells, buffy coats (white blood cells and platelets), and plasma. Blood transports nutrients and waste from cell to cell. It is also used for regulation of pH and body temperature. Also it is used for protection by it clotting and fighting infection. Red blood cells are used to carry oxygen throughout the body. White blood cells are used to fight off microbes.

Heart diseases are the biggest cause of death of people. A heart attack is when the blood supply to the myocardium is reduced, which can lead to heart cells dying. Heart attacks can often lead to cardiac arrests, which is an electrical malfunction in the heart. Often times, atherosclerosis can lead to heart attacks. In the article "A Strike Against Stroke," by Bonnie Liebman, Liebman explains how strokes mostly occur when blood clots form and block the flow of blood. She warns readers to not to ignore the signs of strokes, such as headaches or not seeing out of one eye, as when the stroke occurs, there may not be much time for the person to survive.

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