Cardiovascular system

The heart is shaped like an acorn
May be damaged before one is born
With septa unclosed
And vessels transposed
Valves misplaced and deformed.

During youth there diseases rheumatic
With myocarditis erratic
Endocardial lesions
Make scars and adhesions
And valves that may become ectatic.

Past fifty and into old age
Arteriosclerosis the rage
Thrombosis production
Defects in conduction
And infarcts within the rib cage.

Enlargement of heart is the sign
That things are not going too fine
Means pressure is peaking
Or valves may be leaking
With function that is in decline.

Peripheral vessels constricted
Result in a left heart afflicted
In kidney and brain
Are lesions which maim
Strokes renal failure most wicked.

Endocardial cells form a lining
That is thin smooth transparent and shining
Preventing thrombosis
When free of necrosis
A model of careful designing.

Bacterial endocarditis
Has microbes that grow in a nidus
In the subacute type
Altered valves are the site
And there may be a form of nephritis.

Aortas syphilitic dilate
With tree bark-like structure the trait
They lose their elastic
Results are most drastic
They rupture and then it's too late.

Thrombi fill arteries and veins
Result in large infarcts and pains
Can escape and can fly
Then they're called emboli
A plaque may be all that remains.