The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

134 has to prevent the giraffe from fainting when raising its head. In particular, he discusses the jugular valve system and the spongy membrane that is located below the brain. Pitman concludes this section by discussing the rapid response of these mechanisms that enable the giraffe to quickly raise its head when danger is evident. He also explains the thickness in the giraffe’s leg skin that prevents the giraffe from losing too much blood when it is injured. This article is short and clearly highlights the special features of the circulatory system of a giraffe. I will be able to use this article to give a brief overview of the anatomy and functions of the giraffe’s circulatory system and how the system prevents certain expected problems. Zhang, Q. (2006). Hypertension and counter-hypertension mechanisms in giraffes. Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders Drug Targets, 6(1), 63-67. This article, written by Qiong Gus Zhang, discusses the high blood pressure in giraffes and how the organs within the giraffe adapt to the hypertension. He uses former research and mathematical equations to prove that giraffes do indeed have a higher blood pressure than humans. He then calculates average blood pressure in giraffes. Zhang also explains that giraffes must have a higher blood pressure in order to supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients due to their exceptionally long necks. The author discusses the negative side effects of hypertension that result in humans and then explains how the giraffe’s body counteracts these. He specifically discusses the hypertrophy, or thickening, of the heart and in particular the left ventricle, and the kidney’s normal function despite its location near the heart. This article was printed in a scientific journal, and the author Qiong Gus Zhang works at the California Institute of Technology. I found this article to be very helpful because it gave a good summary of other previously discovered data. This article will be used to help me explain the importance of hypertension in giraffes and how the organs are designed to handle it.