The Systemic Circulation

 The systemic circulation carries oxygen and nutrients to body tissues and removes carbon
dioxide and other wastes and heat from the tissues.
 All veins of the systemic circulation drain into the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, or
coronary sinus, which in turn empty into the right atrium.
 Systemic circulation facilitates internal respiration: Oxygenated blood flows into capillaries
through the rest of the body. The blood diffuses oxygen into cells and absorbs carbon dioxide.
 In the systemic loop, oxygenated blood is pumped from the left ventricle of the heart through
the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The blood moves from the aorta through the systemic
arteries, then to arterioles and capillary beds that supply body tissues. Here, oxygen and
nutrients are released and carbon dioxide and other waste substances are absorbed.
Deoxygenated blood then moves from the capillary beds through venules into the systemic
veins. The systemic veins feed into the inferior and superior venae cavae, the largest veins in the
body. The venae cavae flow deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart.

Major Systemic Arteries

 All systemic arteries are branches, either directly or indirectly, from the aorta. The aorta ascends
from the left ventricle, curves posteriorly and to the left, then descends through the thorax and
abdomen. This geography divides the aorta into three portions: ascending aorta, arotic arch, and
descending aorta. The descending aorta is further subdivided into the thoracic arota and
abdominal aorta.

Or

In the systemic circulation, blood travels out of the left ventricle, to the aorta, to every organ and tissue
in the body, and then back to the right atrium. The arteries, capillaries, and veins of the systemic
circulatory system are the channels through which this long journey takes place. Once in the arteries,
blood flows to smaller arterioles and then to capillaries.

While in the capillaries, the bloodstream delivers oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells and picks up
waste materials. Blood then goes back through the capillaries into venules, and then to larger veins until
it reaches the vena cavae. Blood from the head and arms returns to the heart through the superior vena
cava, and blood from the lower parts of the body returns through the inferior vena cava. Both vena
cavae deliver this oxygen-depleted blood into the right atrium. From here the blood exits to fill the right
ventricle, ready to be pumped into the pulmonary circulation for more oxygen.