Your heart is dependent on oxygen from your respiratory system, and it is delivered by the circulatory system.
Here's how it works:
- When you breathe in, oxygen enters the lungs and is exchanged for carbon dioxide in the alveoli, tiny air sacs in the lungs.
- Oxygen-rich blood is then transported from the lungs to the heart via the pulmonary veins.
- The heart pumps this oxygenated blood through the aorta and into the systemic circulation, delivering oxygen to tissues and organs throughout the body.
- As the body uses oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product, which is transported back to the lungs via the veins for removal during exhalation.
Thus, the respiratory and circulatory systems work together to ensure that the heart and the rest of the body receive the oxygen they need to function properly.