| A | B |
|---|
| blood | fluid connective tissue of the circulatory system; consists of blood cells and plasma |
| heart | multi-chambered, muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body |
| capillary | microscopic blood vessel that carries blood between an artery and a vein, allowing the exchange of substances between the blood and interstitial fluid |
| artery | vessel that carries blood away from the heart to other parts of the body |
| vein | vessel that returns blood to the heart |
| lymph | fluid similar to interstitial fluid that circulates in the lymphatic system |
| pulmonary cicuit | circuit of blood flow that carries blood between the heart and lungs |
| systemic circuit | circuit of blood flow that carries blood between the heart and the rest of the body |
| aorta | artery that carries blood directly from the heart to the rest of the body |
| atrium | heart chamber that receives blood returning to the heart from other parts of the body |
| ventricle | heart chamber that pumps blood out of the heart |
| valve | flap of tissue in the heart that prevents blood from flowing in the wrong direction |
| pacemaker | specific region of heart that sets the rate at which the heart contracts |
| AV node | (atrioventricular node) region of the heart between the right atrium and right ventricle from which electrical impulses spread to the ventricles during a heartbea |
| systolic pressure | first number of a blood pressure reading; measures the pressure on artery walls when heart ventricles contract |
| diastolic pressure | econd number of a blood pressure reading; measurement of the pressure on artery walls when the heart is relaxed |
| plasma | liquid portion of blood made up of water, dissolved salts, proteins, and other substances |
| red blood cell | blood cell containing hemoglobin, which transports oxygen; also called an erythrocyte |
| white blood cell | blood cell that functions in defending the body against infections and cancer cells; also called a leukocyte |
| hemoglobin | iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen for delivery to cells |
| platelet | fragment of a blood cell originating in the bone marrow that is involved in blood clotting |
| plaque | deposits of cholesterol, calcium, and fat that build up on artery walls and can lead to cardiovascular disease |
| cardiovascular disease | illness of the heart and/or blood vessels |
| atherosclerosis | narrowing of the arteries that results from a buildup of plaque |
| hypertension | condition of having a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher for an extended period; also called high blood pressure |
| stroke | damage to brain tissue resulting from a clot blocking blood flow to the brain |
| heart attack | condition that occurs when an artery becomes blocked, disrupting blood flow to the heart |
| arteriosclerosis | condition that occurs when plaque hardens on artery walls |
