The heart is cone shaped and consists of chambers (atria and ventricles) and valves that prevent back flow and control where the blood travels, whether that be to the rest of the body or to be oxygenated in the lungs. The pericardium pumps and lubricates the heart--the SA node starts each heart beat and the SV node delays the impulse until the atria is completely contracted. Arteries carry blood away and veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Capillaries connect the two and are where the oxygen is released to be used by the cells. Problems like atherosclerosis and aneurysms can occur to blood vessels the would cause the flow of blood to be disrupted.
There are many types of white blood cells that all serve a specific purpose. Neutrophils eat invasive bacteria and responds to infections. Basophils release histamine to stimulate inflammation. Eosinophils engulf items coated in antibodies. Lymphocytes are further divided into 3 types: B, T, and natural killer cells. Monocytes arrive later to the infection cite and turn into macrophages to fight foreign materials. Platelets are cell fragments that clot blood and prevent blood loss in the case of a cut.
Major components of the circulatory system include the previously mentioned arteries and veins. Accessory organs are the lungs, kidneys, small intestine, and large intestine that filter the blood and get rid of waste. The lungs replenish the blood with oxygen through the alveoli.
Some diseases that can affect the heart are heart attacks, cardiac arrests, and atherosclerosis. For the most part, all can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle and taking care of HDL/LDL levels. In "Atherosclerosis: The New View", the article mentions that HDL levels greatly affect a person's risk for atherosclerosis. Maintaining a good amount of HDL is more important than having low LDL. Another risk that can heavily damage the brain is stroke. According to "Strike Against Stroke", plaque ruptures in vessels near the brain can cause blood clots and restrict oxygen from being distributed to brain cells.
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