Your coronary heart delivers oxygen and vitamins all through the physique, regulates blood strain, and maintains total well being and wellness. To maintain your coronary heart functioning correctly, you need to take the suitable steps to guard your coronary heart well being. Whereas many know the very best practices for coronary heart well being, it’s possible you’ll not perceive how your coronary heart capabilities. For instance, you realize that the center pumps blood all through the physique—however have you learnt the small print of this course of? The reply for a lot of isn’t any. Acquire a deeper understanding with a fundamental overview of the center and its tasks.
How the Coronary heart Capabilities
Your coronary heart beats round 100,000 occasions per day. Because it does so, it pumps roughly 5,000 gallons of blood all through the physique. With every contraction, the left facet of the center receives blood from the lungs and pushes it out to the rest of the physique. On the identical time, the suitable facet receives deoxygenated blood and passes it on to the lungs. Now that you realize the first accountability of the center, let’s take a look at the capabilities of its 4 chambers.
What Does the Proper Atrium Do?
The appropriate atrium is positioned on the higher proper facet of the center. This chamber additionally has a small construction referred to as the sinoatrial (SA) node, which acts as the center’s pure pacemaker. By producing electrical impulses, this node regulates the center’s rhythm.
The appropriate atrium receives deoxygenated blood by way of the superior and inferior vena cava, the biggest veins within the human physique. The appropriate atrium then contracts and pumps this blood into the suitable ventricle.
What Does the Proper Ventricle Do?
The appropriate ventricle on the decrease proper facet of the center has a thinner muscular wall than the left ventricle. It’s because it solely must pump blood to the lungs, that are a lot nearer to the center than different organs. The appropriate ventricle can be the placement of the tricuspid valve. When the suitable atrium contracts, this valve prevents blood from flowing backward.
Upon receiving blood from the suitable atrium, the suitable ventricle pushes blood by way of the pulmonary artery to the lungs. Right here, the blood receives oxygen and loses carbon dioxide.
What Does the Left Atrium Do?
The left atrium, positioned on the higher left facet of the center, is separated from the suitable atrium by a muscular wall referred to as the interatrial septum. It has thinner partitions than the ventricles and doesn’t must generate as a lot power to pump blood. The left atrium additionally has a singular function referred to as the left atrial appendage. This small pouch-like extension serves as a reservoir and helps regulate blood move.
As soon as the left atrium receives oxygen-rich blood by way of the pulmonary veins, it pumps it into the left ventricle.
What Does the Left Ventricle Do?
The left ventricle is positioned on the decrease left facet of the center. It has a thick muscular wall in comparison with the opposite chambers of the center. This thickness generates sufficient power to pump blood to the whole physique. The left ventricle additionally homes the mitral valve, which prevents blood from flowing again into the left atrium.
After the left ventricle has acquired oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium, it contracts and delivers it to the remainder of the physique by way of the aorta.
Protecting Your Coronary heart Wholesome
With an understanding of how the center capabilities, you possibly can take steps to guard your coronary heart well being. Wholesome practices embody sustaining a balanced food plan, exercising often, smoking cessation, managing stress, and getting sufficient sleep. When the center is just not functioning appropriately, it will increase your threat of coronary heart illness, stroke, and coronary heart failure. Adopting wholesome practices helps you are taking management of your coronary heart well being to reside an extended, more healthy life.
Are you able to study extra about your coronary heart and what you are able to do to maintain it wholesome? Contact Cardiovascular Institute of the South. Our cardiologists may also help you perceive your present coronary heart well being and discover achievable strategies to enhance its situation. Request an appointment immediately or name your closest clinic location to talk with a useful member of our workforce!