All About Heart
All About Heart
All About Heart
Your heart is a muscle. It is slightly larger than your fist and weighs less than a pound. It is located
to the left of the middle of your chest. Your heart pumps blood to the lungs and to all parts of your
body. The blood provides your body with oxygen and nutrients. It also carries away waste.
Endocardium
Myocardium
Pericardium
Chambers
The normal heart has four chambers.
A wall divides the heart into a right side
and a left side. Each side of the heart is
divided into two chambers.
The upper chamber is called the
atrium and the lower chamber is called
the ventricle. These chambers are .
separated by valves that open and
close.
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Valves
The valves allow blood to flow only in one
direction. Valves direct the flow of blood
through the heart, to the lungs and to the
rest of the body. There are four valves:
• Tricuspid: Located between the right
atrium and ventricle
• Pulmonic: Located between the right
ventricle and lungs
• Mitral: Located between the left atrium and ventricle
• Aortic: Located between the left ventricle and the rest of the body
Blood vessels
Blood vessels carry blood to and away from the heart. Vessels that carry blood from the heart to
the body are called arteries. Vessels that carry blood from the body back to the heart are called
veins.
Here is how these arteries wrap around from the front to the back of the heart:
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In summary
• Your heart pumps blood and oxygen to all parts of your body. With exercise and activity, your
body and heart need more blood and oxygen.
• Your heart has valves that direct the flow of blood through the heart, to the lungs, and the rest
of your body.
• Your heart has a normal conduction or electrical system that stimulates the heart muscle to
beat.
• Your heart muscle itself must receive a constant supply of oxygen.
Talk to your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care.
For more health information, contact the Library for Health Information at 614-293-3707 or
e-mail health-info@osu.edu.
© 2006 - September 7, 2017, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.