Health and Medicine

Circulatory System

Also known as the cardiovascular system, it circulates blood through the body, delivering oxygen, nutrients, and removing waste.

Heart

A muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body; located in the thorax.

Pulmonary Circulation

The circulation of blood between the right side of the heart and the lungs, where blood is oxygenated.

Systemic Circulation

The circulation of blood between the left side of the heart and the rest of the body.

Cardiac Output

The total volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, typically measured in L/min.

Stroke Volume

The volume of blood ejected from the left ventricle of the heart in one contraction.

Blood Pressure

The lateral force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels, expressed as systolic/diastolic.

Atherosclerosis

A chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the buildup of plaque inside arteries, restricting blood flow.

Hypertension

A chronic condition where blood pressure is consistently too high, often referred to as the silent killer.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

A hormone produced by the kidneys that regulates the production of red blood cells.

Hemostasis

The process that stops bleeding, involving a series of steps including vasoconstriction, platelet plug formation, and clotting.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles where gas exchange occurs in the lungs.

Bohr Effect

The phenomenon where an increase in carbon dioxide leads to a decrease in blood pH, facilitating oxygen release from hemoglobin.

Asthma

A chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to difficulty in breathing.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

A group of progressive lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult to breathe.

Tuberculosis (TB)

A contagious bacterial infection primarily affecting the lungs, but also capable of impacting other parts of the body.

Bicarbonate Buffer System

A homeostatic mechanism that maintains blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45 through reversible reactions involving carbon dioxide and bicarbonate.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

An iron-rich protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body and assists in carbon dioxide transport.

Neural Control of Respiration

Regulation of breathing coordinated by the brainstem, involving the medulla oblongata and pons.

End-diastolic Volume (EDV)

The maximum volume of blood in the ventricle at the end of the filling stage (diastole).

End-systolic Volume (ESV)

The volume of blood remaining in the ventricle after it has contracted (systole).