What does systemic circulation refer to?

Systemic circulation refers to the pathway of blood flow that takes oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart. This process involves the left ventricle pumping oxygen-rich blood through the aorta to systemic arteries, which distribute the blood to tissues and organs. After delivering oxygen and nutrients, the blood collects carbon dioxide and other waste products and returns to the heart through systemic veins, entering the right atrium.

This choice identifies the flow of blood from the heart to the body and then back to the heart, representing the entire systemic circuit. Understanding systemic circulation is crucial because it plays a vital role in supplying the body’s cells with the oxygen needed for metabolism and regulating blood pressure within the systemic arteries. Other options refer to components of circulation that do not encompass the entirety of systemic circulation, such as lung involvement or specific connections that do not illustrate the complete pathway of blood flow through the body.