Eighty-three point six million people suffer from cardiovascular disease. Many cardiovascular diseases are caused by thickening and hardening of the artery walls of the heart called arteriosclerosis which is known as coronary artery disease and is the number one cause of heart attacks. It can cause blockages in the hearts arteries and the blood can no longer flow properly. The heart needs oxygen to perform like any other organ. Additional cardiovascular diseases include stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), hypertension, heart failure, heart valve disease, aortic dissection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), varicose veins, and aneurysm. High blood pressure (HTN) is one of the most common diseases of the circulatory system. One out of every three American adults suffer from hypertension. When vessels in the heart become blocked and the heart pumping the blood cannot absorb it, can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure if left untreated can lead to stroke, heart failure, and kidney …show more content…
The circulatory system is no different. Keeping a healthy circulatory system means lots of exercising, a healthy diet, not smoking, and regular checkups with the doctor. Unfortunately, we all age and so does the heart, blood, and vessels that keep the nutrients flowing through the body. The heart is a natural pacemaker that pumps blood twenty-four seven and when we age the vessels of the heart can contain fat deposits and plaque known as lipofuscin which can cause a slightly lower heart rate. The heart will increase in size over time due to the thickening of the heart walls and despite the new size of the heart it will actually hold less blood. Abnormal arrhythmias are not uncommon in the aging human body. Atrial fibrillation can be caused by heart disease and is really common in older people. Blood vessels thicken and blood volume decreases as we age so the heart may have to work harder to disperse the blood through the body. Some of the things that may make the heart work harder are medications, stress, illness, infection, and trauma. The circulatory system has a heart that is about the size of a grapefruit pumping four to six liters of blood through the human body every day all the time so the body can function. The city will not function correctly if the heart is broken. The red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets will no longer travel along those busy