The Human Heart: A Guide to Understanding How it Functions
From the very first time the heart starts pounding until the time of death, it may beat more than 3.5 billion times. The center of the circulatory system is the heart. The average heart beats 100,000 times each day, pushing around 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body. With a life span of 70-90 years, the heart will beat two to three billion times and circulate 50-65 million gallons of blood.
The hearts role is to pump oxygenated blood to every cell in the body by having a continuous beat. Throughout time the heart has created mystery, however current technology has solved most of this mystery, but there still remains an enchantment and eagerness to learn more.
In this article, we will learn the involvement of the hearts configuration involving how the blood travels through the blood vessels. Learn what you can do to monitor your heart's heath and how to keep it healthy during your lifetime.
The Heart's Anatomy
The weight of the heart is between 7 and 15 ounces and is a little bigger than the size of your fist. The location of the heart is between the lungs in the center of the chest. The membrane that surrounds the heart is called the pericardium. The heart consists of four chambers. The left and right atria are known as the upper chambers. The lower chambers are referred to as the left and right ventricles. The septum is the wall of muscle that divides the left and right atria and left and right ventricles. The strongest chamber of the heart is the left ventricle.
- Your Heart and Blood Vessels – Illustrations and facts of the anatomy of the heart.
- Heart Anatomy: Interior View – A tutorial page focusing on the interior view of the heart.
- Anatomy of the Human Heart with Flash Illustration – A diagram the heart using flash illustration.
- The Anatomy of the Heart – The anatomy of the heart and description of how it functions.
- Home: Where the Heart Is – An outline and tour of the heart from Franklin Institute.
The Role of the Heart
The heart is described as the most valuable organ in the body. The function of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body. The heart works to pump and circulate all of the materials our body needs to operate properly. The right side of the heart receives de-oxygenated blood from the body. The blood rides through the Tricuspid Valve into the Right Ventricle. After that, it pumps through the Pulmonary Valve into the Pulmonary Artery. This is where the de-oxygenated blood is taken to the lungs to get oxygen.
- The Human Heart: An Online Exploration - A comprehensive overview of the role of the heart in our bodies.
- Function of the Heart – Information on how the heart functions.
- Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System- Information on the role the heart plays in the cardiovascular system.
- What Does the Heart Do All Day?- A description of how your heart functions everyday.
- An Overview of The Human Heart- Information on what the human heart is and how it functions.
- Heart Contractions and Blood Flow – An animation of the showing how the heart pumps.
Keeping Your Heart Healthy
It is important that we do everything we can to keep our heart healthy. In America, heart disease is the greatest cause of death. An estimate of 64 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. Creating simple changes in your life can prevent cardiovascular problems and assist in living a longer life. Watch you diet, control your blood pressure, start exercising, and stop smoking are just a few of the things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Avoid fast food and any kind of fried foods. Stay away from an overabundance of sugar. Natural fruits, fresh juice and green vegetables are good for our body helping it rest.
- Does Elevating Your Heart Rate During Exercise Have the Same Effect On You As Fight or Flight Response? - The explanation of how the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work during exercise and the fight or flight response.
- Keeping Your Heart Healthy- Information on the heart and ways to keep it healthy.
- How to Keep Your Heart Healthy – Different information and tips on keeping a healthy heart.
- Keep Your Heart Healthy – Tips on how to keep your heart healthy.
- Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating – Information and statistics on healthy eating.
- Good Foods - A guide of good foods for your heart's health.
- Young at Heart Tips for Older Adults – Information on weight control and nutrition for older adults.
- Keeping Your Heart Healthy – The steps to take to keep your heart healthy.
- The Exercise Habit – A guide to the best aerobic exercises, weight bearing exercises, and target heart rate.
- How Healthy is Your Heart? - An evaluation with questions on how healthy your heart is.
Monitor Your Heart Health
Keeping track of your blood pressure is important when you are monitoring the health of your heart. It is very important to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate if you have a heart related disease. You can purchase a blood pressure monitor at a local store, or go to the fire department and have your blood pressure taken there. Doctors suggest taking your blood pressure if you feel anxious or are having an irregular heart beat. You should also monitor your heart rate when you are exercising. A doctor has different ways to monitor your heart, such as touching the chest wall and pushing. A doctor can tell if the heart is enlarged and what shape it is by beating lightly on the chest. The doctor listens through a stethoscope for any murmurs or unusual sounds. Finally, the last method of monitoring the heart would be through exploratory measures.
- Monitoring Your Blood Pressure – Information on how to take your blood pressure.
- Blood Pressure- Details on how to read your blood pressure.
- Holter Monitor – Information on a holter monitor test.
- Heart Murmurs and Other Sounds – Learn different ways the doctor will listen to your heart.
- Examining the Heart – Information on how to listen to the heart with a stethoscope.
- Heart Catherization Diagnosis and Interventions – Information on the procedure of a heart catheterization.
Heart Conditions
Studies show every 34 seconds a person in the United States dies from Heart Disease and every 20 seconds someone has a heart attack. Heart Disease can refer to an assortment of diseases affecting the heart. A heart attack happens when heart muscle is destroyed or hurt due to not getting enough oxygenated blood to maintain life. Different examples of Heart Disease include Cardiomyopathy, Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, and Ischemic Hear Disease.
- Pediatric Heart Information for Patients, Families, Medical Professionals – Information on different heart conditions and diseases in children.
- Heart Disease – The facts about Heart Disease.
- Gum Disease Links to Heart Attacks and Strokes – Learn the theories of how gum disease leads to heart problems.
- Arrhythmia: Heart Rhythm Disorder – Information on the condition of having an arrhythmia of the heart.
- President's Page: What is a Cardiologist? - The information on how a cardiologist treats defects and diseases of the heart.
Related Categories on StartLocal
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