Whole circulatory system

The whole circulatory system, or cardiovascular system, is a complex organ system comprising the heart, blood vessels, and blood that facilitates the transport of essential substances throughout the body (StatPearls, 2023). Its primary roles include delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues, removing metabolic waste products like carbon dioxide, and distributing hormones to maintain systemic homeostasis (NIH, 2022). While not a single molecular target, it is the focus of extensive therapeutic intervention for conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerosis (WHO, 2021). Drugs targeting this system act through a wide variety of specific molecular pathways, including the modulation of adrenergic receptors, ion channels, and enzymatic cascades involved in blood pressure regulation and coagulation. Consequently, the circulatory system is central to both the therapeutic efficacy and the potential systemic side effects of many pharmaceutical agents.

Other names

Cardiovascular systemVascular systemCirculatory system

Pharmacological intervention in the circulatory system involves diverse mechanisms such as inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, modulation of voltage-gated ion channels, inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, and interference with the coagulation cascade.