What Is the Cardiovascular and Respiratory System?

Imagine for a moment climbing to the top of Mt. Everest, a challenging feat very few have accomplished. In the process, you gradually ascend from base camp, which sits at about 17,500 feet above sea level, to the peak at over 29,000 feet. At this elevation, the pressure of oxygen is so low, you struggle to take in a satisfying breath. Although you strive to breathe deeply, you are unable to get enough air. Your heart rate increases and you might even develop nausea and a headache. Unless your body has a chance to acclimate itself to higher elevations or you gain access to supplemental oxygen, your symptoms will persist or worsen.

These are the sensations many people with cardiovascular or respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or mild cardiovascular disease, experience on a daily basis. Climbing up a flight of steps may leave them gasping for air, as would walking briskly or even breathing in cold air. Regardless of the cause, being unable to take in sufficient air can create a sense of panic and cause serious physical discomfort.

From this simple example, hopefully, you feel an appreciation for the simple act of breathing and ensuing satisfaction that comes with each life-sustaining breath. For most people, unless they engage in strenuous physical activity sufficient to get them breathing hard, their cardiovascular and respiratory system (heart, blood vessels, and lungs) operates efficiently enough to go relatively unnoticed. However, does that mean their cardiorespiratory (CR) system is functioning at optimal capacity? Or, could it be operating at a minimum level and experiencing problems that go undetected? This chapter defines cardiorespiratory fitness, examines the benefits of a healthy CR system, and explores how to effectively assess and improve the CR system.

The Benefits of Good Cardiorespiratory Health

The link below provides a list of specific benefits:

List of Benefits

The article linked below describes how exercise protects against Cardiovascular Disease (CVD):

Preventing CVD

How the Cardiorespiratory System Works

The cardiorespiratory system operates to obtain and circulate vital compounds throughout the body—specifically, oxygen and nutrients, such as food energy, vitamins, and minerals. Both oxygen and nutrients, which are imperative for cellular energy production, must be taken in from the lungs and digestive system. Because the heart and lungs are so interlocked in this process, the two systems are often labeled together as the cardiorespiratory system. Without a healthy respiratory system, the body would struggle to bring in enough oxygen, release carbon dioxide (the chemical waste product of cellular metabolism) and eliminate unwanted particles that enter the respiratory tract when inhaling. Without a healthy heart, transporting oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the digestive system to the body’s cells would be impossible. If the health of the CR system were compromised enough, survival would be impossible. Additionally, both must be healthy or the function of one or the other will be compromised.

Below are three videos explaining how the cardiovascular and respiratory systems operate and function together:

The CR System and Exercise

How the Cardiovascular System Works

Respiratory System Explained in Detail

The Cardiorespiratory System and Energy Production

Clearly the cardiovascular and respiratory systems function as one, but why is the CR system so important? What makes the distribution of oxygen throughout the body so vital to existence? The answer is simple: ENERGY. While oxygen in and of itself does not contain any energy (calories), it does combine with fuel extracted from food once it has been introduced into the cell to help produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the basic form of cellular energy found in the body. Because the body stores very little ATP, it must constantly be regenerated. For this reason, people must continue eating and breathing to live.

Within the context of fitness, the purpose of the cardiorespiratory system is not only to produce energy but to also adapt in a way so that energy production can be optimized. For example, a high school cross country runner wants to be fit enough to compete in the state cross country meet. Unfortunately, this athlete’s current mile times are 6 minutes per mile. In other words, that is the maximum work rate possible for this athlete. However, the goal is to improve to 5 minutes per mile, or improve the maximum work rate. To do so, more energy must be produced. According to the principles of adaptation, it is possible for this athlete to become more efficient at producing energy, enabling him to run a mile in less time. An example of this adaptation comes from the world record mile time of 3 minutes and 43 seconds. The world record marathon time (26.2 miles) is 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 52 seconds. That equates to 4 minutes and 41 seconds per mile over the 26-mile course. That is some serious ATP production!

Oxidative Energy System (Aerobic)

As oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells, they are utilized to produce ATP. The workhorses of the cell for oxidative metabolism are the mitochondria. This form of energy production is contingent on the ability of the CR system to deliver oxygen and nutrients and the cell’s ability to process that oxygen. Because of the importance of oxygen in this particular energy-producing pathway, it is called the oxidative energy system, or aerobic system.

Oxidative energy production is the primary means of ATP production during rest and for activities that last for 2 minutes or longer. Although other forms of energy production assist in ATP production at any given time, long duration exercise sessions rely on this aerobic pathway. Also, in contrast to other forms of ATP production, the oxidative energy system uses both carbohydrates and fats for fuel sources.

To consider: What activities would emphasize development of this energy pathway?

Immediate/Explosive Energy System

While the oxidative system is the primary source of ATP production, it does require a few minutes for the system to begin operating at full capacity during exercise. How then could the body immediately produce enough energy to perform a strenuous activity, such as sprinting 50 meters? Clearly, another energy system must drive ATP production. The immediate or explosive energy system utilizes the storage of creatine phosphate (CP) and the storage of adenosine diphosphate, which is stored in very small amounts, to generate ATP. When needed, this energy system provides enough ATP to sustain a short- duration, explosive activity, approximately 10–20 seconds or less. Once CP is depleted, other energy systems must assist in the ATP generating process.

Non-Oxidative or Anaerobic Energy System

As the name implies, the non-oxidative energy system does not require oxygen to generate ATP. Instead, the cells where the ATP is produced require glucose(carbohydrates that have been broken down) as the fuel source. Like the immediate energy system, this system is associated with high intensity and short duration movements. While it is possible for some elite athletes to maintain exercise at “anaerobic” levels for several minutes, even they will eventually fatigue as a result of the non-oxidative system’s ability to sustain ATP production for events lasting longer than approximately 2 minutes.

As glucose is processed to produce ATP, the natural byproduct of this process, lactic acid, also begins to accumulate. The result of excessive lactic acid accumulation contributes to muscle fatigue, making it impossible to continue exercise at a high intensity.

Energy Systems Combine

It is important to understand that energy systems do not operate in a compartmental fashion, but rather operate simultaneously, each carrying some of the burden of ATP production. For example, a professional soccer player would spend most of the match “cruising” at a light/moderate intensity level, thus primarily utilizing the oxidative energy system. However, during the match, he or she may sprint for several hundred meters, utilizing the explosive and non-oxidative system, or he or she may jump, requiring use of the explosive system. Thus, both energy systems are utilized simultaneously throughout the match. To improve performance, this player would need to develop the energy system which is utilized the most during the match.

Changes in the Cardiorespiratory System

An improvement in CR functioning, or fitness level, requires adaptation of the system. Remember, the point is to more effectively generate ATP so more work can be accomplished. In order to process more oxygen and deliver more oxygenated blood to the cells, the overall system must undergo changes to make this possible. Here is a list of adaptations that occur to the CR system as a result of consistent aerobic exercise:

• Resting heart rate may decrease. The average resting heart rate hovers around 70–75 beats per minute. Elite athletes may have resting heart rates in the high 30s. Generally, resting heart rate may decrease by approximately 10 beats per minute with chronic exercise.
• Pulmonary adaptations, such as increased tidal volume (the amount of oxygen entering the lungs with each breath) and increased diffusion capacity (the amount of oxygen that enters the blood stream from the lungs). This allows for more oxygen to enter the pulmonary circulation en route to the left side of the heart.
• The heart muscles, specifically the left side of the heart, increase in size making it possible to contract more forcefully. As a result, more blood can be pumped with each beat meaning more oxygen can be routed to the systemic circulation.
• More oxygen is delivered and transported into the cells where ATP production can occur. This is called the arterial-vein difference (a-VO2diff).

These changes in the system are not permanent because of a process known as the principle of reversibility. Following a period of inactivity, the benefits from chronic aerobic exercise will be reversed.