ABSTRACT
Cardiac Intervention 154 • Congenital Heart Disease 155 • Summary 158 • Further Reading 158
The cardiovascular system maintains the circulation of the blood.The arterial tree distributes blood to the microcirculation, where exchange of fluid and solutes takes place with the interstitial fluid that bathes and nourishes the cells. Oxygen and nutrients are delivered to tissue cells and waste products are removed by the flow of interstitial fluid. Excess interstitial fluid is drained by the lymphatic system and returned to the venous blood. After the microcirculation, blood returns through the venous system to the heart, which maintains the pressure and hence the flow of blood. Each part of the circulation is structurally adapted to the pressure and flow of blood within it. This chapter begins by examining some effects of altered blood flow, and goes on to consider diseases of arteries, abnormalities in the microcirculation, interstitial fluid and veins, and finishes by discussing diseases of the heart.
