The Heart

Physiology
• The heart is a four-
chambered organ
• The upper two chambers, the left
and right atria, are entry
points into the heart for blood-
flow
• The two lower chambers, the left
and right ventricles, perform the
contractions that eject the
blood from the heart to flow
through the circulatory system
Pathway of Blood through
the Heart and Lungs
Pulmonary Circulation:
• During this the right ventricle pumps
oxygen-depleted blood to the lungs
through the pulmonary trunk and
arteries
Systemic Circulation
• Here the left ventricle pumps/ejects
newly oxygenated blood throughout
the body via the aorta and all other
arteries.
3
Cardiac Cicle
• The period of time that begins with
contraction of the atria and ends
with ventricular relaxation is
known as the cardiac cycle
• The period of contraction that the
heart undergoes while it pumps
blood into circulation is
called systole
• The period of relaxation that
occurs as the chambers fill with
blood is called diastole