Heart Anatomy and Function Overview

Heart Function

• The heart's primary function is to pump blood through arteries, capillaries, and veins, carrying oxygen and nutrients.
• The heart is the essential pump in the circulatory system.
• Heart anatomy includes chambers, vessels, and coronary blood vessels.
• Heart physiology involves generating and regulating the heartbeat and its relationship to the body's overall function.

Amazing Heart Facts

• The human heart starts beating four weeks after conception, before nerve connections are established.
• The heart beats approximately 100,000 times daily, consistently.
• A healthy heart adjusts rate and force to match the body's oxygen demand during activities.
• The heart pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood daily, ensuring cells receive nutrients and oxygen.
• The heart has its own electrical system to beat independently of external signals.

Heart Structure and Function

• The heart is a hollow, cone-shaped organ made of cardiac muscle.
• The heart's pointed end (apex) is directed downwards, forward, and to the left of the body's midline. It's positioned just above the diaphragm.
• A closed fist is a good analogy in size for the heart.
• The heart beats approximately 75 times per minute.
• The heart's normal resting rate of beats per minute(bpm) is 60-100.

Key Blood Vessels

• Artery: Carries oxygenated blood away from the heart.
• Vein: Carries deoxygenated blood toward the heart.
• Capillary: Smallest blood vessels, responsible for nutrient and gas exchange.