Overview
The cardiovascular (or circulatory) system is one of the most vital systems in the human body. This system provides a transport mechanism for oxygen through the body as a fuel source for cellular respiration, and then the return transport of carbon dioxide, a byproduct of cellular respiration, that the body expels as waste through breathing. It also provides for the transport of amino acids, nutrients, hormones, and the other components that make up blood. Cardiovascular diseases of varying sorts are among the leading causes of death in industrialized nations around the world. Understanding the importance of this system in providing the nutrients the body needs for survival is an important step in helping to reduce cardiovascular disease. Proper diet and exercise can help alleviate many of the problems associated with cardiovascular diseases. For areas that cannot be helped (due to normal aging or genetic defects), biomedical engineers have developed sustainable heart valve replacements, artificial hearts, and materials for use in creating artificial blood vessels, and artificial hemoglobin.
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