The human body has more than 60,000 miles worth of veins and arteries, and the two kinds of blood vessels differ in purpose; veins carry blood back to the heart, and arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to be distributed. This is the process by which tissues and organs receive oxygen, nutrients, and…

Over the course of an average lifetime, the human heart beats an astounding 3 billion times, pumping blood through a network of arteries, veins, and capillaries totaling a stunning 60,000 miles.  We may take these phenomenal inner mechanisms for granted, but we do so at our own risk.  The all-important circulatory system ensures that oxygen-rich…

Atherosclerosis is a common condition that develops when a sticky substance called plaque builds up inside your arteries. Disease linked to atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the United States. About half of Americans between ages 45 and 84 have atherosclerosis and don’t know it. Atherosclerosis develops slowly as cholesterol, fat, blood cells and…