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Heartbeat



	The heart is a four-chambered organ with four main vessels, which either bring blood to or carry blood away from the heart. The four chambers of the heart are the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle. The great vessels of the heart include: Superior and inferior vena cava (brings blood from the body to the right atrium) Pulmonary artery (transports blood from the right ventricle to the lungs) Aorta (the body’s largest artery, which transports oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body) A series of one-way valves keep the blood flowing in one direction with every heartbeat. Blood first enters the heart into the right atrium then passes from the right atrium through the tricuspid valve and into the right ventricle. When the right ventricle contracts, the muscular force pushes blood through the pulmonary semilunar valve into the pulmonary artery. Blood then travels to the lungs, where it receives oxygen. Next, it drains out of the lungs via the pulmonary veins, and travels to the left atrium. From the left atrium, the blood is forced through the bicuspid valve into the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the major muscular pump that sends the blood out to the body systems. When the left ventricle contracts, it forces the blood through the aortic semilunar valves and into the aorta. The aorta and its branches carry blood to all the tissues of the body.

Review Date: 11/15/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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