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cardiovascular

American  
[kahr-dee-oh-vas-kyuh-ler] / ˌkɑr di oʊˈvæs kjə lər /

adjective

Anatomy.
  1. of, relating to, or affecting the heart and blood vessels.


cardiovascular British  
/ ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the heart and the blood vessels

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cardiovascular Scientific  
/ kär′dē-ō-văskyə-lər /
  1. Relating to or involving the heart and blood vessels.


cardiovascular Cultural  
  1. A descriptive term for the heart and the blood vessels.


Etymology

Origin of cardiovascular

First recorded in 1875–80; cardio- + vascular

Explanation

Use the adjective cardiovascular when you're talking about the circulatory system in general or the heart specifically. Cardiovascular exercise gets your blood pumping and is good for your heart. Cardio- means "heart," from the Greek kardia, and vascular refers to blood circulation, from a Latin root meaning "vessels or tubes." So anything cardiovascular is related to the heart muscle and the blood it pumps through arteries, veins, and capillaries. Cardiovascular diseases affect the structure of the heart itself or the vessels that help it move blood through the body. Things like not smoking and regularly moving your body can help you keep your cardiovascular system healthy.

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Vocabulary lists containing cardiovascular

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

After Walker’s death, a medical examiner ruled that she died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease with preeclampsia, the latter of which is a dangerous pregnancy-related high blood pressure condition that doctors had identified in Walker.

From Salon Sep. 17, 2026

They found that the group who took Shingrix had a lower risk of cardiovascular events over the next seven years compared with those who received Zostavax.

From MarketWatch Sep. 15, 2026

The findings support the University of Bristol's research 'Grand Challenge' focus on Understanding and Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and builds on NIHR-funded initiatives aimed at earlier identification of people with hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors.

From Science Daily Sep. 14, 2026

The findings could pave the way for clinical trials testing sEH inhibitors in chronic inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

From Science Daily Sep. 13, 2026

Researchers knew from simulated zero-gravity studies using animals that space travel could cause cardiovascular changes, degradation of bone and muscle, and a loss of red blood cells.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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