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Dr Ayan Midya explains heart’s functions

Your heart is the most important organ

Dr Ayan Midya explains heart’s functions

Understand Heart's Function

What is the function of the human heart?

The heart is like a pump that moves blood all over the body to keep one alive. It's a muscle about the size of a fist that's in the middle of the chest and slightly tilted to the left. The heart beats about 100,000 times a day.1

It continuously pumps about five litres (eight pints) of blood around the body all the time through a complex network of blood vessels. This blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body to help the organs and muscles work well. The blood also gets rid of waste products and carbon dioxide.1

The heart pumps blood with the help of an electrical system that tells the heart when to contract and when to relax. Electrical signals tell muscles when to contract and when to relax. The heart's natural pacemaker, the sinus node, sends out electrical signals. Most of the time, the sinus node sends electrical signals at a steady rate. However, the rate can change depending on how you feel and how your body is doing (active or resting). The heart rate is used to measure this.1

How does the heart work to pump blood?

The left side of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood into the arteries, which carry it to the tissues and organs. Blood that has delivered its nutrients and oxygen and needs more oxygen comes back to the heart through the veins and enters the right side of the heart. This blood, which needs oxygen but doesn't have any, goes to the lungs to get oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.2

Every 45 seconds, on average, a red blood cell that is moving through the body will pass through the heart. If you start to work hard, your heart will start to beat faster to give your working muscles the extra oxygen and food they need. The heart is also a muscle, and it needs its own blood supply to get oxygen so it can pump well.2

Blood flow of the human heart

Blood that needs oxygen goes into the heart through two large veins. This blood goes into the top right chamber of the heart, which is called the right atrium. The tricuspid valve is a one-way door that lets blood move from the right atrium to the right ventricle. Through the pulmonary valve and the pulmonary artery, the right ventricle sends blood that needs oxygen to the lungs.2

The pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium, which is the top left chamber of the heart. The mitral valve is where the blood goes from the left atrium to the left ventricle. Through the aortic valve, the left ventricle sends oxygen-rich blood around the body. The aorta is the main artery that brings blood to the body.2

The pumping of the blood can be felt in the wrist or neck as a pulse. By taking the pulse, one can find out how fast and steady the heart beats.3

(Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. Please consult a qualified doctor before taking any decisions regarding recommendations in the article or for more information.)

References: 1. How your heart works [Internet] [Updated Aug 2021]. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/how-a-healthy-heart-works. Accessed on Sep 2, 2022. 2. Heart: how your heart pumps blood around your body [Internet]. Available at: https://www.mydr.com.au/heart-stroke/heart-how-your-heart-pumps-blood-around-your-body/. Accessed on Sep 2, 2022. 3. How the heart works [Internet]. Available at: https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/your-heart/how-the-heart-works. Accessed on Sep 2, 2022.

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