The Heart

Heart

A muscular organ with a left and right side, divided by the septum, responsible for pumping blood throughout the body.

Septum

The wall that divides the left and right sides of the heart.

Atrium

The two upper chambers of the heart that receive blood from the circulatory system.

Ventricle

The lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out of the heart.

Valves

Structures in the heart that prevent blood from flowing backwards, similar to veins.

Deoxygenated Blood

Blood that has low oxygen content, entering the right atrium from the body through the vena cava.

Vena Cava

A type of vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium.

Pulmonary Artery

The vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation.

Oxygenated Blood

Blood that has high oxygen content, entering the left atrium from the lungs through the pulmonary vein.

Pulmonary Vein

The vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.

Aorta

The main artery that carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body.

Pacemaker

Specialized cells in the wall of the right atrium that regulate the heart's contraction by sending electrical impulses.

Natural Resting Heart Rate

The normal rate at which the heart beats, controlled by the pacemaker cells.

Faulty Pacemakers

Malfunctioning pacemaker cells that can lead to an irregular heartbeat.

Artificial Pacemaker

A device implanted under the skin that sends electrical currents to the heart to regulate its beating.