The major or systemic circulation It is the circuit or path that blood makes from the heart to the body and back to the heart, while the minor or pulmonary circulation It is the circuit that makes the blood from the heart to the lungs and then to the heart.
In the major circulation, the blood travels through the arteries and arterioles, until reaching the capillaries, where they release oxygen and capture carbon dioxide from the tissues. Then the capillaries are grouped into venules and continue in the main veins until they reach the right atrium.
In the minor circulation, the blood travels from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries, which capillary in the lungs, where the release of carbon dioxide and the uptake of oxygen take place, returning oxygenated blood through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium of the heart.
| Greater circulation | Less circulation | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Blood circulation circuit that distributes oxygenated blood through the body from the heart. | Circuit of blood circulation that carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs. |
| Synonymous | Systemic circulation, peripheral circulation. | Pulmonary circulation |
| Blood volume | 84% of total blood volume: 64% in veins, 13% in arteries. | 16% of total blood volume: 7% in heart and 9% in lungs. |
| Function |
|
|
| Where the blood travels | Heart (left ventricle) → aorta artery → peripheral arteries → tissue capillaries → peripheral veins → Vena cava → heart (right atrium). | Heart (right ventricle) → pulmonary arteries → alveolar capillaries → pulmonary veins → heart (left atrium). |
| Major arteries |
| Pulmonary artery |
| Important veins |
| Pulmonary veins |
| Blood pressure | Systolic blood pressure: 120mm Hg. Diastolic blood pressure: 80mm Hg. | Systolic pulmonary artery pressure: 25mm Hg. Diastolic pulmonary artery pressure: 8mm Hg. |
| Time of residence of the blood in the capillaries | Blood takes between 1 and 3 seconds in systemic capillaries. | Blood takes about 0.8 seconds to the pulmonary capillaries. |
| Gas exchange | Oxygen is exchanged from red blood cells to tissues for carbon dioxide from tissues to red blood cells. | Carbon dioxide is exchanged from the red blood cells to the alveoli for oxygen from the alveoli to the red blood cells. |
The major or systemic circulation is the part of the blood circulation that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the whole body, and returns the deoxygenated blood to the heart.
Of the total volume of blood in the human body it represents 84%, distributed 64% in the veins and 13% in the arteries.
I know starts with contraction of the left ventricle from the heart after it receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium (atrium) and directs it to the aorta.
It culminates in the arrival of deoxygenated venous blood to the right atrium through the superior vena cava and inferior cava..
The major circulation is responsible for:
The minor or pulmonary circulation is the part of the circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood to the heart.
The main or minor function of the pulmonary circulation is the gas exchange at the level of the pulmonary alveoli:
You may also be interested in seeing the difference between veins and arteries.
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