The Human Heart
Heart
The average human heart will beats 2.5 billion times; you can better understand how your heart works, what it can tell you about your overall health and how to better protect it from the most common cause of death in the United States Heart disease.
Your body exists because of the Heart. It is one of the most important organs in your body. It's the first organ created when cells are dividing during the very early stages of development in the womb. It’s a hard working organ and you cannot live without it.
Your body exists because of the Heart. It is one of the most important organs in your body. It's the first organ created when cells are dividing during the very early stages of development in the womb. It’s a hard working organ and you cannot live without it.
What Is The Heart?
The heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping oxygenated blood through the blood vessels with repeat, rhythmic contractions. The human heart is located in the center of your chest, slightly offset to the left side. The average adult's heart is 9-12 ounces, or about the size of a clenched fist. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria and the two lower ventricles, and four valves which open and close to let the blood flow through the heart in only one direction.
The right side of the heart collects oxygen-depleted blood and pumps the blood into the lungs so that carbon dioxide can be dropped off and fresh oxygen picked up. The left side of the heart collects the freshly-oxygenated blood and pumps it out to the body.
The right side of the heart collects oxygen-depleted blood and pumps the blood into the lungs so that carbon dioxide can be dropped off and fresh oxygen picked up. The left side of the heart collects the freshly-oxygenated blood and pumps it out to the body.
Importance of Heart Health
Because the brain relies on a steady supply of oxygenated blood, the heart is one of the most vital organs in a person's body. Some of the disease and conditions that put your heart health at risk include:
- Arrhythmia
- High cholesterol
- Congenital heart disease (heart defects)
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- High blood pressure
- Metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Stroke
Heart Disease
What Is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of diseases which affect the heart. It is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing one person every 34 seconds.
Some common forms of heart disease include:
Risk for Heart Disease:
There are many factors that influence your risk of heart disease, some you have control over and some you don't. Common risk factors include:
Reducing Your Heart Disease Risk:
Some people will naturally have a higher risk of heart disease than others. But you are not powerless against it. Here are some ways you can reduce your heart disease risk:
Most importantly, call 911 if you think it's a life-threatening situation or contact a medical professional if you have additional questions about heart disease, or think you might be experiencing heart attack symptoms.
Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of diseases which affect the heart. It is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing one person every 34 seconds.
Some common forms of heart disease include:
- Coronary heart disease - disease of the artery caused by the accumulation of plaques within the artery walls
- Cardiomyopathy - deterioration of the heart muscle for any reason
- Cardiovascular disease - a group of diseases that affect the heart and/or the vascular system
- Ischaemic heart disease - a disease of the heart characterized by reduced blood supply to the organs
- Heart failure (congestive heart failure or congestive cardiac failure) - a condition that results from a structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood
- Hypertensive heart disease - heart disease caused by high blood pressure
- Inflammatory heart disease - disease which causes inflammation of the heart muscle and/or its surrounding tissues
- Valvular heart disease - disease which affects one or more valves of the heart
Risk for Heart Disease:
There are many factors that influence your risk of heart disease, some you have control over and some you don't. Common risk factors include:
- Gender (men are at higher risk, although it's the most common killer of women as well)
- Family history of heart disease
- Post-menopausal
- Race (African Americans, American Indians and Mexican Americans are at higher risk)
- Smoking
- High LDL (bad cholesterol) and low HDL (good cholesterol)
- Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity
Reducing Your Heart Disease Risk:
Some people will naturally have a higher risk of heart disease than others. But you are not powerless against it. Here are some ways you can reduce your heart disease risk:
- Quit smoking
- Improve cholesterol levels
- Control high blood pressure
- Control diabetes
- Get active
- Eat right
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress
Most importantly, call 911 if you think it's a life-threatening situation or contact a medical professional if you have additional questions about heart disease, or think you might be experiencing heart attack symptoms.
Heart Rate
What Is My Heart Rate? Your heart rate, determined by the number of times your heart beats each minute, is an important measure of your health. How hard your heart has to work during various activities can tell you a lot about your overall physical condition.
Resting Heart Rate:
You’re resting heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during periods of little physical activity. The best time to measure your resting heart rate is in the morning before you get out of bed.
Maximum heart rate:
Often used to calculate your target heart rate, your maximum heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during intense physical activity. It is most safely measured in a controlled medical environment, but you can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old's maximum heart rate would be estimated at 190 beats per minute.
Target Heart Rate: Also known as the training heart rate, your target heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during peak aerobic exercise and can help you decipher whether you're working out at a level of intensity that's appropriate for you. Your target heart rate is usually equivalent to 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. In the example above, the 30 year old man's maximum heart rate was 190 (220-30), so his target heart rate would be 114-161.5 beats per minute ((190 x .6) - (190 x .85)).
Measuring Heart Rate:
Heart rates are most accurately measured with a diagnostic tool known as an electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG), which are often used in a medical setting to noninvasively and painlessly record electrical activity of the heart over time.
You can also buy a commercial heart rate monitor kit consisting of a chest strap with heart-rate monitoring electrodes and a display you wear on your wrist for easy interpretation of the data gathered.
However, the easiest way to assess your heart rate is by taking your pulse. Using your index and middle finger, simply press on any part of your body where an artery pulsation can be felt on the skin's surface, such as the neck or inside wrist, and count the number of pulses per minute. Be sure not to use your thumb when taking someone else's pulse.
Resting Heart Rate:
You’re resting heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during periods of little physical activity. The best time to measure your resting heart rate is in the morning before you get out of bed.
Maximum heart rate:
Often used to calculate your target heart rate, your maximum heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during intense physical activity. It is most safely measured in a controlled medical environment, but you can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old's maximum heart rate would be estimated at 190 beats per minute.
Target Heart Rate: Also known as the training heart rate, your target heart rate measures the speed at which your heart beats during peak aerobic exercise and can help you decipher whether you're working out at a level of intensity that's appropriate for you. Your target heart rate is usually equivalent to 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. In the example above, the 30 year old man's maximum heart rate was 190 (220-30), so his target heart rate would be 114-161.5 beats per minute ((190 x .6) - (190 x .85)).
Measuring Heart Rate:
Heart rates are most accurately measured with a diagnostic tool known as an electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG), which are often used in a medical setting to noninvasively and painlessly record electrical activity of the heart over time.
You can also buy a commercial heart rate monitor kit consisting of a chest strap with heart-rate monitoring electrodes and a display you wear on your wrist for easy interpretation of the data gathered.
However, the easiest way to assess your heart rate is by taking your pulse. Using your index and middle finger, simply press on any part of your body where an artery pulsation can be felt on the skin's surface, such as the neck or inside wrist, and count the number of pulses per minute. Be sure not to use your thumb when taking someone else's pulse.
Heart Attack
What Is A Heart Attack?
Commonly known as a heart attack, myocardial infarction occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart is interrupted. It is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States. Heart attacks are most often caused by the blockage if a coronary artery following the rupture of a plaque that had formed on the artery wall. If left untreated, the restriction in blood supply, known as ischemia, can cause the heart tissue to become damaged or even die.
Heart attack symptoms include:
Am I at Risk for Heart Attack?
There are many factors that influence your risk of heart attack, some you have control over and some you don't.
Common risk factors include:
Reducing Your Heart Attack Risk
Some people will naturally have a higher risk of heart attack than others. But you are not powerless against it. Here are some ways you can reduce your heart disease risk:
Commonly known as a heart attack, myocardial infarction occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart is interrupted. It is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States. Heart attacks are most often caused by the blockage if a coronary artery following the rupture of a plaque that had formed on the artery wall. If left untreated, the restriction in blood supply, known as ischemia, can cause the heart tissue to become damaged or even die.
Heart attack symptoms include:
- Chest pain (typically down the left arm or left side of the neck, and often described as a sensation of tightness, pressure, or squeezing)
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Feeling of indigestion
- Fatigue
Am I at Risk for Heart Attack?
There are many factors that influence your risk of heart attack, some you have control over and some you don't.
Common risk factors include:
- Gender (men are at higher risk, although heart disease is the most common killer of women as well)
- Older age
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Uncontrolled stress and anger
Reducing Your Heart Attack Risk
Some people will naturally have a higher risk of heart attack than others. But you are not powerless against it. Here are some ways you can reduce your heart disease risk:
- Quit smoking
- Improve cholesterol levels
- Control or lower your high blood pressure
- Control diabetes
- Get active
- Eat right
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress