Document Type
Handbook, Guide or Manual (Third Edition)
Publication Date (Third Edition)
2009
Abstract
Introduction
Cardiovascular problems affect all people who have a spinal cord injury. It has been noted to be particularly problematic for those over 65 years old and those who have been injured for more than 30 years. Due to this problem affecting many people, it needs to be addressed early in your rehabilitation as well as throughout your life.
Description of the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system contains the heart and the blood vessels. The heart is a muscular pump in the chest that receives blood from blood vessels from all over the body. As the heart beats, it delivers blood to the lungs so that oxygen can be exchanged. This oxygenated blood is then given back to the heart and pumped to all the organs throughout the body. The blood vessels are the arteries, capillaries and veins that are located throughout the body. The blood vessels carry blood to all the tissues of the body and remove the tissues’ waste products.
(19 pages, 352Kb)
Recommended Citation
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Magee Rehabilitation, "Cardiovascular-Spinal Cord Injury Manual" (2009). Spinal Cord Injury Manual (English). Manual 8.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/spinalcordmanual_eng/8
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
