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Blood and blood vessels. Home Blood and blood vessels. Circulatory system. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. All cells in the body need to have oxygen and nutrients, and they need their wastes removed. These are the main roles of the circulatory system.
The heart, blood and blood vessels work together to service the cells of the body. Using the network of arteries, veins and capillaries, blood carries carbon dioxide to the lungs for exhalation and picks up oxygen.
From the small intestine, the blood gathers food nutrients and delivers them to every cell. Blood Blood consists of: Red blood cells — to carry oxygen White blood cells — that make up part of the immune system Platelets — needed for clotting Plasma — blood cells, nutrients and wastes float in this liquid.
The heart The heart pumps blood around the body. The most common heart disorder in adults, coronary artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis.
Deposits of fat, calcium, and dead cells, called atherosclerotic plaques, form on the inner walls of the coronary arteries the blood vessels that supply the heart and interfere with the smooth flow of blood. Blood flow to the heart muscle may even stop if a thrombus, or clot, forms in a coronary vessel, which may cause a heart attack.
If the clot can be dissolved within a few hours, damage to the heart can be reduced. Heart attacks are rare in kids and teens. Hypercholesterolemia high cholesterol. Having too much cholesterol in the blood, also known as hypercholesterolemia, is a major risk factor for heart disease and can lead to a heart attack. Cholesterol is carried in the bloodstream by lipoproteins. High blood pressure hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure can damage the heart, arteries, and other body organs.
Symptoms can include headache, nosebleeds, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Infants, kids, and teens can have high blood pressure, which may be caused by genetic factors, excess body weight, diet, lack of exercise, and diseases such as heart disease or kidney disease.
Kawasaki disease. Also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, Kawasaki disease affects the mucous membranes the lining of the mouth and breathing passages , the skin, and the lymph nodes part of the immune system. It can also lead to vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels. This can affect all major arteries in the body — including the coronary arteries. When coronary arteries become inflamed, a child can develop aneurysms, which are weakened and bulging spots on the walls of arteries.
This increases the risk of a blood clot forming in this weakened area, which can block the artery, possibly leading to a heart attack. In addition to the coronary arteries, the heart muscle, lining, valves, or the outer membrane that surrounds the heart can become inflamed. Arrhythmias or abnormal functioning of some heart valves can occur. Kawasaki disease has surpassed rheumatic fever as the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the United States.
Rheumatic heart disease. Usually the complication of an untreated strep throat infection, rheumatic fever can lead to permanent heart damage and even death.
Most common in kids between 5 and 15 years of age, it begins when antibodies the body produces to fight the strep infection begin to attack other parts of the body. They react to tissues in the heart valves as though they were the strep bacteria and cause the heart valves to thicken and scar.
Inflammation and weakening of the heart muscle may also occur. Usually, when strep throat infections are promptly treated with antibiotics, this condition can be avoided. Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain is cut off or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and spills blood into an area of the brain, causing damage to brain cells.
Children or infants who have experienced stroke may be suddenly numb or weak, especially on one side of the body, and they may experience a sudden severe headache, nausea or vomiting, and difficulty seeing, speaking, walking, or moving. During childhood, strokes are rare. Getting plenty of exercise, eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular medical checkups are the best ways to help keep the heart healthy and avoid long-term problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Note: All information on KidsHealth is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. All rights reserved. Find a Doctor. About Us. Community Programs. California Kids Care. International Services. Video Visits: Telemedicine. Locations Main Campus. Satellite Locations. Emergency Care. Urgent Care. Safe Sleep Practices. Pay Your Bill. Financial Assistance. Medical Records. For more on heart failure and how to recognize it, read about congestive heart failure.
Strokes often occur when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain and reduces the blood supply. They also can happen when a blood vessel in the brain breaks open. Both events keep blood and oxygen from reaching the brain.
As a result, parts of the brain are likely to be damaged. Read more: Everything you need to know about stroke symptoms ». An abdominal aortic aneurism is a bulge in a weakened part of the aorta. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in your body. It carries blood from your heart to your abdomen, legs, and pelvis. When it becomes larger, you may experience pain in the abdomen or back. Large and rapidly growing abdominal aortic aneurisms are at greatest risk of rupturing.
These require immediate attention. Peripheral artery disease PAD is atherosclerosis that occurs in the extremities, usually in your legs. It reduces blood flow to your legs, as well as to your heart and brain.
Modifiable risk factors are factors that can be controlled, changed, or treated with lifestyle changes. These risk factors include:. Men have a greater risk than premenopausal women for stroke. Also, some ethnicities have a higher risk for certain diseases than others.
They can help develop a treatment or management plan for your condition. Heart attacks, strokes, and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurisms are life-threatening. When someone has the symptoms of these conditions, call or take them to the emergency room immediately. Not all risk factors for coronary artery disease are avoidable. But at least one quarter of all deaths due to heart disease and stroke are preventable, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many conditions can be reversed or controlled with a combination of lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication. You can also take steps and make lifestyle changes to prevent these conditions. High blood pressure is often associated with few or no symptoms. Many people have it for years without knowing it.
Learn more. Coronary artery disease, or coronary heart disease, can lead to heart attack or death.
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