Download Heart Functions

The Heart
Description of the Heart
 Location:
 Between the lungs
 More to the left of your chest
 Size of the Heart:
 12cm in length
 8-9cm in width
 6cm in thickness
 Weight of Heart
 Males: 280-340 grams
 Females: 230-280grams
Functions of the Heart

Four interrelated chambers
1.
Right Atrium

2.
Right Ventricle


3.
Receives deoxygenated blood from
right atrium
Pumps the deoxygenated blood to the
lungs via the pulmonary vein
Left Atrium

4.
Receives deoxygenated blood from
the rest of the body via the superior
(anterior) and inferior (posterior) vena
cava
Receives the oxygenated blood from
lungs via pulmonary veins
Left Ventricle


Receives oxygenated blood from left
atrium
Pumps oxygenated blood to the entire
body via the aorta
Coronary Arteries
Anterior Heart Arteries
Posterior Heart Arteries
 Supply blood to the heart muscle
 Right coronary artery supplies both the left and the right heart
 Left coronary artery supplies the left heart.
Myocardial Infarction
 Also known as heart attack
 Lack of blood or no blood
traveling to a part of a heart
muscle (myocardium)
causes the muscle to die
 Triggered by:
 Atherosclerosis
 Coronary artery carrying
blood to the heart is
blocked by build-up of
plaque
 Coronary artery spasms
Symptoms of a Myocardial Infarction
 Uncomfortable feeling
of pressure on the
chest
 Pain may spread to
jaw, neck, shoulders,
arms or upper
abdomen
 Nausea and
lightheadedness
Acute Myocardial Infarction
Dark area
shows
beginning
of healing –
increased
blood
supply
Lightcolored
tissue
indicates a
myocardial
infarction
Normal
fatty
tissue
Heart Cross Section
Old Myocardial Infarctions
Scar
tissue
from an
infarct at
least two
weeks old.
Heart Attack Complications
Arrhythmias
Damaged heart muscle is replaced by scar
tissue
Damage caused by heart attack increases
chance of heart failure
Pericarditis (infection around the lining of
the heart)
Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lungs)