Heart Anatomy
How many valves do you have in your heart?
Four!
Pulmonary valve, Aortic valve, Mitral (bicuspid) valve, and Tricuspid valve
The "lub-dub" sound your heart makes is due to closing of the different valves
What is a main role of your heart?
To pump the blood which supplies oxygen to your tissues!
It does this by receiving the deoxygenated blood from your veins to be pumped your lungs to get re-oxygenated. Then the blood is returned to your heart and pumped out via arteries to all the areas of your body
How can excersie improve heart health?
Exercise improves heart health by strengthening the heart muscle, allowing it to pump blood more efficiently, lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure.
What is an ECG?
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a simple, painless test that measures the electrical activity of your heart. It can help diagnose a number of heart conditions.
How it works
How many chambers do you have in your heart?
Four!
Left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, right ventricle
How many gallons of blood does the average heart pump per day?
2000!
This is enough to fill a small swimming pool!
How does stopping/avoiding smoking help your heart?
Stopping smoking significantly reducing the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, improving blood circulation, decreasing the development of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries), and minimizing the likelihood of blood clots
What is an Echocardiogram?
An echocardiogram, also known as an echo, is a painless ultrasound that uses sound waves to create images of the heart. It's a common test that helps doctors diagnose heart problems.
What does an echocardiogram show?
What are the two main arteries that supply blood to your heart?
Right and left coronary arteries. Also known as the RCA and LCA.
1. RCA supplies mostly the right side of your heart
2. The LCA is divided into the LAD (left anterior descending) and the Circumflex artery.
What is an Ejection Fraction?
The volume of blood the heart can eject per beat. This is measured as a % and compares the amount of blood in the heart to the amount that can be pumped out in 1 beat.
The normal ejection fraction is between 50-70%. Mildly reduced would be 40-49% and below 40% is more severely reduced.
How does lowering cholesterol help your heart?
Lowering cholesterol, particularly "bad" LDL cholesterol, improves heart health by preventing the buildup of plaque in arteries, which can narrow blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the heart, thereby lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes; essentially, by reducing plaque formation, lower cholesterol helps maintain healthy blood flow to the heart
What is a Holter Monitor?
A Holter monitor is a portable device that records your heart's electrical activity over time. It's used to help diagnose heart conditions.
How it works
What is the sac or layer that covers your heart?
The pericardium!
The pericardium is a fibrous covering that protects the heart and helps reduce friction as it beats
What is the difference between the atria and ventricles?
The Atria are smaller and are located in the top of each side of your heart. They receive the blood, either from your body (right artium) or from your lungs (left atrium).
The ventricles are larger, ore muscular chambers at the bottom of your heart. The are responsible to pump blood. Either to your lungs (right ventricle) or to the rest of your body (left vent).
How does lowering your stress help your heart?
Lower stress can improve heart health by reducing inflammation, blood pressure, and the risk of blood clots.
How stress affects your heart
What is a cardiac MRI?
A cardiac MRI is usually requested if someone has more advanced or complex heart conditions. It can be used to look at blood vessels and how blood flows through them, how much blood the left ventricle can pump out to the body and measure heart function.
What two nodes help control your heart beat?
The sinoatrial node (SA) and the atrioventricular node (AV)
SA node also known as the "pacemaker" of the heart. It controls the pace and the heartbeat originates here
AV node recieved the impulse generated by the SA node and relays it to the ventricles.
What special type of cells is your heart made up of?
The Cardiomyocytes!
These cells are the primary muscle cells of the heart. These special cells are only located in the heart and are responsible for generating the force to pump your heart.
How does eating healthy improve heart health?
A healthy diet improves heart health by reducing the intake of fats like saturated and trans-fats while increasing the consumption of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, which can help lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, and protect against inflammation, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease
What is a Cardiac Stress Test?
A cardiac stress test, also known as an exercise ECG, is a non-invasive procedure that evaluates how well your heart handles physical activity. It can help identify heart problems like coronary artery disease (CAD).
How it's performed