It's the muscle at the centre of your circulation system, pumping blood around your body as your heart beats. This blood sends oxygen and nutrients to all parts of your body, and carries away unwanted carbon dioxide and waste products.
DISEASES
A cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease that affects the cardiovascular system. But the term is usually used to describe diseases that are linked to atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis (Figure below) is an inflammation of the walls of arteries that causes swelling and a buildup of material called plaque. Plaque is made of cell pieces, fatty substances, calcium, and connective tissue that builds up around the area of inflammation. As a plaque grows, it stiffens and narrows the artery, which decreases the flow of blood through the artery.