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Aneurysm: see Aneurysms
Angina: see Angina
Angioplasty: see Angioplasty
Arrhythmia: see Arrhythmia
Arteries: see Vascular System
Arteriosclerosis: see Arteriosclerosis & Atherosclerosis
Aspirin: see Aspirin & Heart
Atherosclerosis: see Arteriosclerosis & Atherosclerosis
Bypass surgery: see Coronary Bypass Surgery
Blood pressure, high: see Hypertension: High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure, kidney disease: see BP & Kidney Disease
Blood pressure, women: see Women & Blood Pressure
Bypass: see Coronary Bypass Surgery
Cardiac arrest: see Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac rehabilitation: see Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiomyopathy: see Cardiomyopathy
Cardiovascular tests: see Cardiovascular Tests
Cholesterol: see Cholesterol
Congenital heart defects: see Congenital Heart Defects
Congestive heart failure: see Congestive Heart Failure
Coronary bypass surgery: see Coronary Bypass Surgery
Coronary heart disease: see Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary microvascular disease: see Coronary Microvascular Disease
CT angiography: see CT Scans - Computerized Tomography
Deep vein thrombosis: see Deep Vein Thrombosis
Diet: see Low Fat Food Tips
EKG: see EKG - Electrocardiogram
Endocarditis: see The Heart & Its Valves
Enlarged heart: see Enlarged Heart
Exercise: see Exercise and Your Heart
Fainting: see Syncope
Foramen ovale, patent: see Patent Foramen Ovale
Glossary of heart terms: see Glossary of Heart Terms
Glossary of stroke terms: see Glossary of Stroke Terms
Heart structure: see The Heart & Its Valves
Heart attack: see Heart Attack
Heart disease & women: see Heart Disease & Women
Heart murmurs: see The Heart & Its Valves
Heart risks: see Heart Risks
Heart tests: see Cardiovascular Tests
Homocysteine: see Homocysteine
Hypertension: see Hypertension: High Blood Pressure
Lupus: see Lupus
Marfan syndrome: see Marfan Syndrome
Mitral valve prolapse: see The Heart & Its Valves
Myocardial infarction: see Heart Attack
Patent ductus arteriosus: see Congenital Heart Defects
Patent foramen ovale: see Patent Foramen Ovale
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) : see PAD
Rehabilitation: see Cardiac Rehabilitation
Risks, heart: see Heart Risks
Salt, sodium: see Sodium
Scleroderma: see Scleroderma
Smoking, how to quit: see Quit Smoking
Stenosis: see The Heart & Its Valves
Stents: see Angioplasty
Stress test: see Stress Test
Stroke: see Stroke
Sudden cardiac arrest: see Cardiac Arrest
Syncope: see Syncope
Target heart rate: see Target Heart Rate
Tests: see Cardiovascular Tests
Tetralogy of Fallot: see Congenital Heart Defects
Thrombophilia: see Thrombophilia
Valve regurgitation: see The Heart & Its Valves
Valve stenosis: see The Heart & Its Valves
Vascular system: see Vascular System
Veins: see Vascular System
Women & blood pressure: see Women & Blood Pressure
Women & heart disease: see Heart Disease & Women
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The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart and the blood vessels, such as the veins and arteries, which move the blood around the body. Your heart is a muscle that is about the size of your fist. It works like a pump and it is always pumping blood throughout the body. The average heart beats 100,000 times a day. Blood carries oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the digestive system to the cells in the body. The blood then carries waste products back to be removed by the kidneys and carbon dioxide to be removed by the lungs. (Read about "
It picks up oxygen and comes back to the heart at the left atrium. From there it passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle where it is pushed through the aortic valve and out to the body. The mitral valve differs from the rest of the valves because it is made up of just two flaps; the others have three flaps. Those flaps can also be called leaflets or cusps.
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