1. The Systemic Circuit
by Linda Langevoort
Anatomy & Physiology Class / South University Online
(Buzzle.com, 2011)

2. Introduction
• The Systemic Circuit, which lies in the Cardiovascular System,
functions to transport blood to and from the rest of the body.
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 670)
• The circuit begins and ends at the heart. (Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 670)
• Blood travels in a sequence and has to make a complete cycle
throughout the body and then it can return to the heart.
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 670)
• I will discuss this circuit and the arteries and veins supporting it.
• I will show areas of the body that this system supplies.

3. Blood Distribution
• The Systemic Circuit contains
84% of the blood volume in the
body. (Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg.737)
•
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg.717)

4. The Systemic Circuit is comprised of the vessels
between the aortic valve and the entrance to the
right atrium.
In this photo: Blood flowing along the systemic
circuit picks up oxygen and deoxygenated
blood. This accounts for the change of color in
this diagram from red to blue.
(Marieb, Mitchell, 2009, pg. 447)
Blood Flow

5. Systemic circulation carries oxygenated blood
from the left ventricle through the arteries, to the
capillaries. (Darling)
From there it carries it to the lower tissues of the
body, providing oxygen and nutrients. (Darling)
The tissue capillaries return the deoxygenated
blood by way of veins to the right atrium of the
heart. (Darling)
(Darling)
Route of Blood Flow

6. Arteries carry blood away from
the heart . (Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 738)
Veins carry blood towards the
heart. (Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 738)
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 737)
Diagram:
The red areas
[bottom half of
the photo] are
showing the
flow of blood to
the lower limbs,
tissues and
organs.
The blue areas
(bottom half of
the photo] are
showing the
veins returning
the blood to the
heart.
The
Circuit

7. Systemic
Main Arteries
• From the Aorta (3 portions):
1. Ascending Aorta
2. Aortic Arch
3. Descending Aorta
• From the Descending Aorta (2 portions)
1. Thoracic aorta
2. Abdominal Aorta
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 739)
[Darling]

8. The Ascending Aorta begins at the aortic valve of the left ventricle. Connecting
to the ascending Aorta, the Aortic Arch curves and meets up with the
Descending Aorta. (Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 740)
Arteries (Aorta)
(Educational Communications Board, 2011)

9. Arteries
(Descending Aorta)
The Descending Aorta
continues into the Thoracic
Aorta and the Abdominal Aorta.
The Abdominal aorta delivers
all the blood to the
abdominopelvic organs and
structures.
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pp. 740-741)

10. Systemic
Main Veins
• From the Superior Vena Cava
1. Inferior Vena Cava
2. Right Atrium
Once the arterial blood delivers
oxygen to the tissues and picks up
carbon dioxide, it then can return the
blood to the heart through its system
of veins.
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 749)
[Darling]

11. Veins and Blood Return
The veins of the lower limbs and
organs flow towards the Hepatic
Portal Vein. Then the blood flows
to the Inferior Vena Cava and
Superior Vena Cava entering into
the Right Ventricle. The Right
Ventricle returns the oxygenated
blood to the lungs and Right
Atrium to begin the cycle again.
(Hussainz, 2012)
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pp. 749-753)

12. Pump that Blood
• Blood pressure keeps the blood flowing from
the areas of higher pressure to the areas of
lower pressure.
• Higher arterial pressures overcome peripheral
resistance and keep the blood flow regular
through the peripheral tissues.
• Valves and muscle compressions and the
respiratory pump help to move the blood back
toward the heart.
(Martini, Nath, Bartholomew, 2012, pg. 760)
(Sinatra, MD, 2008)

13. The End