9.1 Cardiovascular System Introduction

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and a complex network of arteries and veins. The heart serves as a pump to transport blood throughout the body. The healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system is foundational to the health of all other body systems because the transportation of blood directly impacts the cellular functioning of all tissues and organs.

This chapter will review common word components related to the cardiovascular system to assist learners in analyzing, building, and defining medical terms. Other terms, whose definitions cannot be easily built from word components, will be described in context based on the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and common diseases and disorders. Medical specialists, diagnostic tests, and procedures related to the cardiovascular system will also be discussed.