Presentation on the Heart for Medical Terminology

1. The Heart Lauren Cosby

2. What is it? The heart is a muscular pump made up of cardiac muscle fibers The heart contracts to pump blood throughout the entire body to transport nutrients, oxygen, and wastes It is apart of the cardiovascular system; which also includes arteries and veins The heart is about the size of a fist and is shaped like an upside-down pear

3. Where is it? The heart lies directly behind the sternum The heart is located in the center of the chest cavity However, more of the heart is on the left side of the mediastinum than the right

4. The Basics Each time the cardiac muscles contract, blood is ejected from the heart and pushed throughout the body within the blood vessels The tip of the heart, at the lower edge, is called the apex

5. Structure Layers The heart is composed of six layers Endocardium Epicardium Myocardium Parietal Pericardium Pericardium Visceral Pericardium The wall of the heart is made of endocardium, epicardium, and myocardium

6. Structure Chambers The heart is divided into four chambers or cavities There are 2 atria or upper chambers Also known as the receiving chambers, because the blood returning to the heart via the veins firsts collects in the atria There are 2 ventricles or lower chambers Also known as the pumping chambers Their contraction ejects blood out of the heart and into the arteries

7. Structure Valves The heart has four valves they act as restraining gates to control the direction of blood flow They are situated at the entrances and exits to the ventricles

8. Random Facts The heart pumps approximately 4,000 gallons of blood each day The heart beats on average 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) or 100,000 times a day The heart will beat at least 3 billion times during your lifetime