Basic Anatomy of The Heart: Featured Snippet From The Web

Heart
Featured snippet from the web

The heart is a muscular organ in most animals, which pumps blood through the blood
vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the
body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to the lungs.
Our heart beats 100,000 times a day, pushing

5,000 gallons of blood through our body every 24
hours. It delivers oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood
to our tissues and carries away waste. Here, we
explain how this amazing organ carries out this
vital work.
The heart is a muscular organ roughly the size of a closed fist. It sits in the
chest, slightly to the left of center.
As the heart contracts, it pumps blood around the body. It carries

deoxygenated blood to the lungs where it loads up with oxygen and unloads
carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism.
The heart, blood, and blood vessels combined are referred to as the
circulatory system. An average human has around 5 liters (8 pints) of blood,
which is constantly pumped throughout the body.
In this article, we will explain the structure of the heart, how it pumps blood
around the body, and the electrical system that controls it.
Basic anatomy of the heart

Below is a 3D model of the heart which is fully interactive. Explore the model
using your mouse pad or touchscreen to understand more about the heart.
The heart consists of four chambers:
 Atria: the two upper chambers (they receive blood).

 Ventricles: the two lower chambers (they discharge blood).
The left atria and left ventricle are separated from the right atria and right
ventricle by a wall of muscle called the septum.
The wall of the heart consists of three layers of tissue:
 Epicardium — protective layer mostly made of connective tissue.

 Myocardium — the muscles of the heart.
 Endocardium — lines the inside of the heart and protects the valves
and chambers.
These layers are covered in a thin protective coating called the pericardium.
How the heart works

The heart contracts at different rates depending on many factors. At rest, it
might beat around 60 times a minute, but it can increase to 100 beats a
minute or more. Exercise, emotions, fever, diseases, and some medications
can influence heart rate. For more information on what is “normal,” read this
article.
The left and right side of the heart work in unison. The right side of the
heart receives deoxygenated blood and sends it to the lungs; the left
side of the heart receives blood from the lungs and pumps it to the rest
of the body.
The atria and ventricles contract and relax in turn, producing a rhythmical
heartbeat:
Right side
 The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body through
veins called the superior and inferior vena cava (the largest veins in the
body).
 The right atrium contracts and blood passes to the right ventricle.
 Once the right ventricle is full, it contracts and pumps the blood through
to the lungs via the pulmonary artery, where it picks up oxygen and
offloads carbon dioxide.
Left side
 Newly oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium via the pulmonary
vein.
 The left atrium contracts, pushing blood into the left ventricle.
 Once the left ventricle is full, it contracts and pushes the blood back out
to the body via the aorta.
Each heartbeat can be split into two parts:
Diastole: the atria and ventricles relax and fill with blood.
Systole: the atria contract (atrial systole) and push blood into the ventricles;
then, as the atria start to relax, the ventricles contract (ventricular systole) and
pump blood out of the heart.
When blood is sent through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, it travels
through tiny capillaries on the surface of the lung’s alveoli (air sacs). Oxygen
travels into the capillaries, and carbon dioxide travels from the capillaries into
the air sacs, where it is breathed out into the atmosphere.
The muscles of the heart need to receive oxygenated blood, too. They are fed
by the coronary arteries on the surface of the heart.
Where blood passes near to the surface of the body, such as at the wrist or
neck, it is possible to feel your pulse; this is the rush of blood as it is pumped
through the body by the heart. If you would like to take your own pulse, this
article explains how.

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Heart

Featured snippet from the web

Our heart beats 100,000 times a day, pushing

As the heart contracts, it pumps blood around the body. It carries

Basic anatomy of the heart

The heart consists of four chambers:

 Atria: the two upper chambers (they receive blood).

The wall of the heart consists of three layers of tissue:

 Epicardium — protective layer mostly made of connective tissue.

How the heart works

Each heartbeat can be split into two parts:

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