The human heart is one of the most overworked parts of the body. In fact, an average human heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood and can beat 100,000 times in a day. So imagine how much work it do throughout your lifetime. Even if it’s only about 8-10 ounce in weight (which is a bit smaller than a large fist), it does a lot of work.
This article will detail all the parts of the human heart that work together to deliver the oxygen our body needs. We all know that we are inhaling oxygen from the air we breathe and that oxygen needs to be well distributed throughout the body. And the heart is the one responsible for that.
Major Parts of the Heart
1. Left atrium
Left atrium is connected to the pulmonary veins. This part of the heart receives the oxygenated blood to be sent to the left ventricle.
2. Left Ventricle
Left ventricle is the one pumping the oxygenated blood from the left atrium to the aorta.
3. Mitral Valve
Mitral Valve is also called Bicuspid valve which allows one way flow of blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle.
4. Aortic Sigmoid Valve
When the heart is in the relaxed or diastole mode, Aortic Sigmoid Valve prevents blood to backflow from the aorta to the left ventricle. At the same time, when the heart is in the contraction or systole mode, it helps in flowing the blood (this is called the cardiac output) from the left ventricle to the aorta.
5. Right atrium
Right atrium carries the deoxygenated blood from the vena cava (lower and middle body part) to the right ventricle.
6. Tricuspid valve
This is also called the right atrioventricular valve. This prevents the backflow of blood in the right atrium. This part is the one that separates the right atrium and the right ventricle.
7. Right ventricle
Right ventricle received the deoxygenated blood from the right atrium. The blood will then be transported to the lungs via the pulmonary arteries. Once the blood is in the lungs, it will be reoxygenated and then will be returned to the heart via the pulmonary veins.
8. Pulmonary sigmoid valve
It is a valve that separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary arteries. The contraction of the ventricle causes it to open, allowing the passage of blood into the respiratory system.
When there is a contraction in the ventricles, this valve is opened and pushes blood out of the heart and into the artery, allowing the passage of blood into the respiratory system. This valve is also the one separating the right ventricle from the pulmonary arteries. The drop of pressure in the heart causes this valve to close.
9. Atrial septal defect
This is a muscular part of the heart that serves as a wall between the right and the left atrium. This separates the two atria.
10. Interventricular partition
Another muscular part of the heart that serves as a wall between the right and left ventricle. Just like the atrial septal defect, this muscular wall separates the two ventricles.
11. The sinus or sinoatrial node
These are a group of cells situated within the wall of the right atrium. This part is not well known but serves a very integral part of the heart system. This node sends electrical impulses to the atrium causing it to contract and pump blood into the ventricles.
12. Atrioventricular or Aschoff-Tawara nodule
A collection of cardiac fibers is another integral part of the heart. When the sinoatrial node sends the impulses, this nodule transmits the cardiac impulses to the ventricles. It helps the ventricle not to contract until the blood in the atria is done passing through.
13. Hiscules and Purkinje fibers
These fibers allow the heart to create synchronized contractions which are critical in maintaining the heart’s rhythm. These fibers are influenced by the sinoatrial node. If the sinoatrial node is said to be the main pacemaker of the heart, Purkinje fibers are the secondary. The fired beats per minute are slower than SA. But when the SA or sinoatrial node is compromised, Purkinje fibers take place.
Minor Parts:
14. Arteries and veins
These are not direct part of the heart but heart cannot function without them.
15. Pulmonary veins
The part that is rich in oxygen. These veins are the ones carrying blood from the lungs to the heart.
16. Aortic artery
This is the artery that carries oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
17. Venae cavae
These are veins that carry the deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
18. Pulmonary arteries
The vessels that bring blood to the lungs to oxygenate. This is the only artery that can carry nutrient-free blood.
I hope that this article on the different parts of the heart was helpful. If you are interested, I highly suggest that you visit the health facts page!
