#epicardium

[bpod-bpod]

Bad Timing

Your heart isn't all muscle. Its muscle layer (myocardium) is sandwiched between endocardium and epicardium. Defects in the development of these layers can cause congenital heart disease (CHD), which affects one in 100 newborns. CHD can be caused by a coronary artery fistula (CAF) where a channel, partly comprising smooth muscle, develops between the coronary artery and another part of the heart. A defect in myocardium development may be to blame. Researchers investigated in chick embryos, damaging the myocardium before the epicardium layer forms. The result? Endocardium cells met epicardium cells too early, leading to CAF-like structures. The team then grew quail embryo endometrium (pictured, left) with chick embryo epicardium (right). Fluorescence microscopy revealed that where these different cells met, smooth muscle developed, and where they were apart, smooth muscle was absent. This supports the idea that CAFs form due to the inappropriately timed meeting of these cells.

Written by Lux Fatimathas

Image from work by P. Palmquist-Gomes and colleagues

Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine, January 2023

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[mia-ugly]

Cardiac

Epicardium

The outermost layer of the heart, mesothelial cells and fat, a cushion of protection with TOM written on it in sharpie. He joined my class in Grade 6, chisel-tipped and quiet and an easy choice when asked which Boy I Liked. Which Boy I had a Crush on. That was the year my mom drew eyelashes on me with thick black pencil before a play where I was meant to be  beautiful. I wasn’t, but I tried to make myself fit into a beautiful shape, just as I tried to fit the indent in your couch cushions, the foot of your bed, the pillows on the floor, a burrowing owl who would say the right names, make the right choices, pretend I knew who was Hot and who was Not, pretend I knew which house was Tom’s, that I walked past it on my way home from school with my heart like an electric peach, so bright he could see it from his bedroom window.

Brian was the Backstreet Boy I chose from thin air, bad answer, should’ve picked Nick, but at least I didn’t say Kevin, sorry Kevin, he seems like a pretty great dad these days, maybe we all chose wrong.

You would peel apples and read the future in the shape they left on the floor: what is the first letter of your husband’s first name? Light candles and ask the ouija board ‘does he like me? Does he love me? Is he the one?’ Commune with the spirits just to beg them for love stories, and spin a globe and close your eyes and put your fingers down to find out where we’d meet the man-of-our-dreams.

But I wasn’t dreaming about anyone.

My dreams were glass and silver, like the colour of the only eyeshadow my mother owned, brushed powdery and stale up to my eyebrows in a play where I had to sing and a prince had to fall ruinously in love with me in front of everyone I knew. I shone pale blue with shame, and that night, I was the only one at your house who didn’t know the macarena - sat in your basement, watched you dancing, like I was looking into an aquarium filled with strange fish. Later, you’d teach me the steps, like you taught me to fold paper into those fortune-telling finger games, salt-cellar, snapdragon, pick a colour, pick a number, 1-2-3, who will I marry, who will I marry, who will I marry. You put on “Kissing You” by Des’ree, told us to listen in silence and think about the boys we loved, and I wore my longing like a mask that didn’t know it was a mask. Thank you Tom, thank you Brian and Robert and Adam, thank you every boy who let me hold his name in my mouth like an ice cube. The letters burnt my tongue, but at least my mouth wasn’t empty. 

Myocardium

The thickest of all three layers, muscle that makes the heart contract, lets it beat beat beat like a kickdrum. I told my first girlfriend that I’d been in love with my best friend growing up, but it wasn’t true, it was just a rhythm I wanted to replicate, to awkwardly dance to. I’d seen the movies and I thought all gay kids had to say it, like it was a shared purple ache in the flesh of us, a thumbprint on a plum. I wanted to feel that bruising early love like everyone told me I should, but it wasn’t like that with us. I wasn’t lying awake looking at the hair on your face, the fascinating black sideburns that you shaved off, like you shaved off the hair on your arms, like I did too.  It wasn’t like that, and the night we said we would travel the world together after college, wouldn’t get married or have children, was also the night you said you were glad you didn’t have any gay friends, and remember that book we found at the second-hand store? The air was drowned with dust and Loving Someone Gay shocked us out of papery silence, made you laugh so much that I laughed too, and then I took that book and rolled it up and shoved it down my throat, got paper cuts under my skin, shredded my trachea like tissue paper wrapped around a present.

I wasn’t carrying any torches. Not even a candle or a match.

Your fingers were never in my hair as you pinned it back, you never leaned in and pressed an eyelash to my cheek so that I could wish on it. I wouldn’t have let you touch me. My face my hands my hair, I hated being touched, cringed away from it like a shameplant, and the not-wanting felt almost worse than not-being-wanted. Felt lonely, always the first person awake in your silent basement, bodies scattered like petals on the floor all around me. There was nothing I could do but wait, wait and read your parents’ headache-coloured paperbacks, Louis L’Amour and Danielle Steele, Christ, I hated them, but I would still sit there, paging through Haunted fucking Mesa or whatever, counting down the minutes on the clock, waiting waiting. Sometimes I would hear your father praying in the kitchen but it never woke you up, and I wanted to ache like Courtney Love ached, wanted to feel anything at all except bored and choking on paper, I wanted a drumbeat underneath my skin but it was all silence and darkness and purple muscle, and your father kept praying, ringing bells like they were birds, and I kept waiting to hear music.

Endocardium

Before the world ended, you pressed play on a discman and flooded my life with the Cranberries.

Before the world ended, I looked up at the ceiling and found it strung with hanging lights, each one of them a city in between us. Before the world ended, I asked you if people could yearn in their thirties, if that was allowed, and I didn’t know the steps to this dance but maybe you could teach them to me. Suddenly there was an electric peach in my mouth and it was shining through the spaces between my clenched teeth, anyone could see it, even you. I thought my skin was too thin, my bones too brittle, thought anything I felt would tear through me or grind me down, and maybe it still will but I’d let you press our hips together, iliac crest to iliac crest, let you paint Valentines in red against my lips and mermaids on my cheekbones, let you braid my unbraided hair. Even if it meant you had to touch me

I would let you make me over. 

Sometimes the distance feels less like miles, more like inches. Like it could be the space separating your eyelashes from the tip of my nose, could be a hand’s width on a sleeping bag where I’m still awake because you’re lying next to me (and we watched an awful movie with Drew Barrymore in it.)  Before the world ended, everything was cold metal and antiseptic, we were hunkering down for the longest winter, planning, preparing, frantic, scared, surviving, sick and I was still the first person awake in a strange basement but suddenly finally now of all the goddamn times I was waking up watermelon-flavoured. My mouth was hard candy, glossy-sweet, and suddenly finally now I was the girl with the most cake, I was peony season, I was Nick Drake and the whole moon shining and the whole sun rising I was pink pink Pink PInk PINK.

[strandsofgold]

You asked for short blurbs! Here are your blurbs!

-Tav hates the wine that Raphael picked for their dinner/date

-The Crown of Karsus doesn't fit between Raphael's horns

-Raphael receives a human heart as a valentine from Tav

Thank you for the prompts @punderdome! I absolutely adore the heart one, and since I'm in no way equipped to write anything even slightly funny (which I think the other two prompts definitely require), I've gone with that one. Hope you enjoy it <3

A gift

The heart is rather mundane. Dull. A fixture both in hell and his house.

Still. It is pretty, all flushed and strong—still beating in his clawed hand, no doubt through magic.

A gift.

That is what Korilla called it. From the hero of Baldur's Gate. His little mouse.

Raphael brings it to his mouth and does what he does best. He consumes. Devours. Teeth dig into the epicardium, through the thick myocardium until they pierce the endocardium, all as blood spills out and over his lips, down his chin—scarlet and bright and fresh.

He moans at the taste. His teeth and tongue works at the organ until every bit has been chewed and swallowed. He can picture it, a warm corpse staining Tav's hands just as he has stained her soul. It only makes him savour it more.

A single, unbidden thought worms its way into his mind—obnoxious and intrusive. Unbecoming.

If only it was hers.

One day, he tells himself. He will not be denied.

[catholicsapphic]

Blessed is the cardiac striated muscle tissue that contracted out of Love for us. Blessed is the left ventricle which allowed the blood of the Saviour to reach every part of His body, and blessed is the aorta that branched out to take it there. Blessed is the Vena Cava that gathered all that most holy blood to bring it back to the Heart, and blessed are the right atrium and ventricle for pumping it into the lungs. Blessed are the pulmonary arteries that took it to receive the oxygen it needed for this wondrous, mercyful, painful, incomprehensible task of reconciliation. Blessed are the pulmonary veins, which brought this revitalized blood back to the left atrium, so that it could once more run through His body and give Him the strenght He needed purely because He chose to need it. Blessed are the valves that opened and closed when necessary to allow this process, and blessed are the tendinous cords and the sinoatrial node that made it rhythmic. Blessed are the coronary arteries, which supplied His very Heart with the nutrients demanded to keep It alive and beating. Blessed is the pericardium, which filled with water and blood at the Sorrowful Passion and blessed is every layer - epicardium, myocardium and endocardium - that was ripped open by a spear. Blessed is the Heart of Our Lord, which burned with love for the littlest of creatures. And blessed is every single cell, electric impulse, and extracellular matrix that permitted It to se Its mission through.

(pride flags version)

[orbitfalls]

thursday snippet (even though it's not thursday anymore)!!

thank u @sugarsnappeases for the tag<33

you're getting a little piece of the upcoming chapter of east of eden, told from pandora's point of view<3

(the 'evan' she's talking to is her reflection btw)

She hasn't had the chance to wash her hands yet, they still feel filthy. To escape this, she swings into one of the bathrooms on her way; letting the water run until it feels warm enough to scold, sticking her trembling fingers into the ruthless stream from the tab and keeping them there until she can't feel them anymore, it's become quite a routine these days. She leans on the sink when she reaches to turn off the tab with her elbow. Her fingers are red from the throbbing heat of the water, and they dig into the edge of the sink like the smooth, pale porcelain counts as a human touch if she wants it to badly enough. She imagines feeling a pulse beating beneath the glazed surface, imagines clinging to it until she could swear she feels it in her fingers. At last, she recognizes the feeling of the tear that rolls down her cheek silently. She lets it run for a moment, allows it to hurt, before its path curves, and it trickles down into the corner of her mouth. She sticks her tongue out to catch it; giggling, more tears start to fall. As she looks up, fingers digging into the cold porcelain of the sink, she finds Evan in the bathroom mirror's reflection, teary-eyed and laughing back at her through pale eyebrows. She sniffs. The lamp from the ceiling drags harsh shadows under her brow bone, shields her eyes from the warm light. "One day, Evan," she states, eyes glued to her reflection, "Tom Riddle is going to die." She swallows. "He's going to die, and it won't be me who killed him." A soft click sounds from her tongue, a subconscious habit that she picked up from Evan years ago. She leans closer to the mirror's blank surface. "It doesn't matter to me. I don't care if he's dead or alive; I'll carve his heart straight out of his chest, and I'll keep it in a plastic bag until I reach California." She imagines Evan looking at her, a long look that drags out for minutes before he blinks. The heart, he will know about; he will know, instinctively, that they have three beating hearts, now. There will still be guts spilled up to Pandora's elbows; she'll be squeezing the epicardium a hundred and twenty times a minute just to keep it beating through her travel, and when she hands it to Evan, he will put it in a glass jar of liquid nitrogen and place it on her nightstand with a proud smile. "Hello, sister," is what he'll say. "Welcome back to California."

No pressure tags to @sophyayayayaya (dunno if you want the thingie you showed me to see the light of day or not but if you'd like) and also @grimsneverendingfuneral because i'm actually obsessed with your rosekiller snippets 🤭🫀

[fingons-rad-harp]

epicardium

“Atto?” Ária asked as Makalaurë braided her hair. “If Elrond is my brother, why does he call himself the son of Eärendil instead of your son?”

Makalaurë’s hands paused in their movements. “Well,” he began, “you know that Elrond is my son, but not the son of your mother.”

“Right,” she said. “So is he the son of you and Eärendil?” She scrunched her nose in confusion. “How does that work?”

Makalaurë nearly choked. “No, ah… Eärendil is Elrond’s biological father. His mother is Elwing, the daughter of Dior.”

“Dâd’s sister.”

“Exactly. Your uncle Nelyo and I adopted Elrond and his twin Elros, and took care of them for a while. Elrond has many parents; I am merely one of them.”

“Oh,” she said. “Why did you end up taking care of them?”

Read more on AO3

[shira-hoe-shi]

Epicardium

Full disclosure I read this kidlaw fic where Law steals kids heart and lauds it over him the whole time. OF COURSE now I can’t find it or I would link to it. But the whole time I was reading it I was like “put it in your mouth put it in your mouth put it in your mouth.” 

It’s still really good- but he doesn’t put it in his mouth. So, I wanted to play around with my own take. The heart doesn’t belong to anyone in specific, but if I developed it out further it would.

I welcome comments and edits b/c I'm still pretty self conscious about writing and have a hard time developing anything past little scenes and into a full story

Added ambiance 

--

Law nuzzles softly into the side of the heart sitting in his hands. It’s warm and leaves a stain against the hollow of his cheek. Law is breathing deep, eyes closed and mouth falling open, trying to steady the rhythm of his own heart still safely in his chest. 

Law’s heart is beating slowly and steadily and he can hear the persistent thumping in his ears, loudly echoing through him as if he were hollow.

The heart, cradled between his hands and his face, convulses at a sickening pace. He wishes its owner were there, watching him nestle snugly against the only thing truly keeping him alive. He can picture the abject horror, the disgust, the fear all pulling into tight lines across the other’s face. 

It makes his own chest heavy with want, makes his stomach tighten as warmth pulls in his groin. He breathes in once, long and shaking, steadying himself. He rolls the organ slowly against his skin from his cheek to his lips.  

The outer muscle is pulled impossible tight, slick and warm. Law can feel blood pulsing into the coronary veins and out of the descending arteries thickly against his lips. He lets his tongue slip past his lips and press against the musculature. He relaxes his tongue so it’s wide and flat, soaking up as much possible contact. It’s warm and wet and alive. 

Law groans, steeling himself against the impulse to sink his teeth down into the musculature and filling his mouth with the thick copper taste inside.

Every kiss he presses into the still beating organ, whether a chaste peck or the languid roll of his tongue slow and thick against the epicardium, he can feel it clench, feel the pulse grow quicker and stronger. God, it’s so alive.

Still pressed firmly to his lips, mouth open and breathing ragged, he lets a finger drift upward, dipping tentatively into the superior vena cava. The tissue is smooth, carved cleanly and precisely out of its owner. He teases the rim, muscle constricting tightly with each wave of life pumping in and out. A shiver runs down Law’s spine. It’s so wet; impossibly wet. He holds himself knotted together with restraint, only allowing his finger to gently press and prod into the opening. He wants to press harder, wants to let his fingers curl into the fragile organ and squeeze, the satisfying gush of viscera oozing between his fingers and down the back of his hands. He wants to pull it apart with his teeth and press his lips against the heart’s inner walls and let his tongue drag against the rough, tight ventricle webbing.

He lets his hand still, breath hitching in his throat, concentrating hard on just letting himself taste, just letting himself tease, not letting himself buckle and end all of this fun too soon.

[shoeskepper360]

Anatomy of the Heart: Understanding the Structure and Function of This Vital Organ

Explore the intricate anatomy of the heart, the powerhouse of the circulatory system. This guide delves into the heart's four chambers—right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle—along with the critical valves that ensure proper blood flow. Learn about the three layers of the heart wall: the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. Discover the role of coronary arteries in supplying blood to the heart itself and understand the electrical system that regulates heartbeat. Whether you're a student, a healthcare professional, or simply curious, this overview will enhance your understanding of how this remarkable organ works to sustain life.

[shubham-bhargav]

It goes without saying that the heart is the most essential organ in the human body. However, did you ever think of the protective casing that takes care of the heart? No, right? The pericardium is the sac that works like a protective casing for the human heart. It ensures that the circulatory system works seamlessly by working with organs like the septum that prevent the mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood during circulation and valves that prevent the backflow of blood in the heart in harmony. 

The pericardium has a multitude of roles to play in the body. Circulation is only a single example, but no function of the human heart would be possible without the presence of the pericardium. It is an under-talked face of the human heart that needs more discussion among healthcare enthusiasts and clinicians. Therefore, this blog will do the needful for you. 

Here, we will discuss all facets of this protective layer of the heart- pericardium. We will talk about how the pericardium plays a vital role in all functions of the heart. Furthermore, we will discuss pericardial conditions and their clinical implications. So, by the end of this blog, you will be educated about this under-discussed aspect of heart health entirely. 

What Is The Pericardium?

The pericardium is a double-walled sac that encases the heart and the roots of the great vessels, consisting of two main layers:

Fibrous Pericardium: This tough, outer layer is composed of dense connective tissue. It anchors the heart to surrounding structures like the diaphragm and sternum, preventing excessive movement during bodily activities.

Serous Pericardium: This inner layer is divided into two sub-layers:

Parietal Layer: Lines the inner surface of the fibrous pericardium.

Visceral Layer (Epicardium): Directly covers the heart muscle.

Between these two sub-layers is the pericardial cavity, which contains a small amount of lubricating fluid that reduces friction as the heart beats.

Functions of the Pericardium

There are more functions of the pericardium than you would imagine. It helps in numerous activities of the heart, ensuring that the harmony between the heart and other organs of the human body remains undisturbed. The following is a list of all the functions of the pericardium: 

1. Protection and Support

The primary function of the pericardium is to protect the heart. The fibrous pericardium acts as a mechanical barrier against infections from adjacent organs and tissues. Additionally, it prevents the heart from over-expanding when blood volume increases, maintaining optimal cardiac function and efficiency.

2. Lubrication

The serous pericardium produces pericardial fluid, which fills the pericardial cavity. This fluid reduces friction between the heart and surrounding structures, allowing smooth, uninhibited cardiac movements. This lubrication is crucial for preventing wear and tear on the heart as it contracts and relaxes.

3. Restriction of Excessive Motion

By anchoring the heart to the diaphragm, sternum, and surrounding tissues, the fibrous pericardium restricts excessive movement. This stabilization ensures that the heart remains in a relatively constant position, which is vital for maintaining efficient blood flow and preventing potential displacement or twisting that could impair function.

4. Pressure Maintenance

The pericardium helps maintain the pressure environment around the heart, which is essential for proper cardiac filling and function. The balance of pressure within the pericardial cavity ensures that the heart chambers can fill with blood efficiently during diastole and eject blood effectively during systole.

5. Defense Mechanism

The pericardium serves as a defense mechanism by isolating the heart from potential infections. The fibrous layer acts as a physical barrier, while the pericardial fluid can dilute and neutralize harmful substances, reducing the risk of infection spreading to the heart.

Pericardial Conditions and Their Implications

Despite its protective role, the pericardium is not immune to disease. Several conditions can affect it, leading to significant health issues.

Pericarditis:  Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium, often caused by infections (viral, bacterial, or fungal), autoimmune disorders, or trauma. Symptoms include sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing or lying down, fever, and palpitations. If left untreated, pericarditis can lead to complications like cardiac tamponade and chronic constrictive pericarditis.

 Cardiac Tamponade: Cardiac Tamponade is a life-threatening condition where fluid accumulates rapidly in the pericardial cavity, increasing pressure on the heart. This pressure prevents the heart from filling properly, leading to a dramatic drop in blood pressure and cardiac output. Immediate medical intervention, often involving pericardiocentesis (removal of excess fluid), is crucial to prevent fatal outcomes.

 Constrictive Pericarditis: Constrictive pericarditis is a chronic condition where the pericardium becomes thickened and scarred, losing its elasticity. This constriction restricts the heart’s ability to expand fully, leading to symptoms of heart failure such as swelling of the legs, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Treatment may involve anti-inflammatory medications or surgical removal of the pericardium (pericardiectomy).

Pericardial Effusion: Pericardial effusion is the accumulation of excess fluid in the pericardial cavity. Causes include inflammation, trauma, cancer, or kidney failure. Small effusions may be asymptomatic, while larger ones can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, and reduced heart sounds on examination. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and severity, ranging from monitoring to draining the fluid.

In conclusion, the pericardium, though often overshadowed by the heart it protects, plays a critical role in maintaining cardiovascular health. Its functions, ranging from physical protection and lubrication to pressure maintenance and infection defense, are vital for the heart’s efficient operation. Understanding the importance of the pericardium and recognizing the symptoms of pericardial diseases can lead to early diagnosis and effective treatment, ultimately preserving heart health and enhancing quality of life.

[sunfoxtech]

Heart Conduction and Layer

At the core of the heart's functionality lies its intricate conduction system and layered structure, both essential for its vital function of circulating blood throughout the body. The heart's conduction system comprises specialized cells that initiate and coordinate its rhythmic contractions. This process begins with the sinoatrial node, located in the right atrium, which generates electrical impulses. These impulses then travel through the atrioventricular node, bundle of His, and Purkinje fibers, ensuring synchronized atrial and ventricular contractions.

Meanwhile, the heart's structure is characterized by three distinct layers: the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. The epicardium, positioned as the outermost layer, acts as a protective shield, guarding the heart against external threats. Beneath it lies the myocardium, consisting of cardiac muscle tissue responsible for powering the heart's contractions. Finally, the endocardium lines the heart's chambers and valves, providing a smooth surface for efficient blood flow.

Together, the heart's conduction system and layer structure work in harmony to maintain its rhythmic beating and ensure the continuous circulation of blood, sustaining life's essential processes. Understanding the intricate interplay between heart conduction and layers is crucial for appreciating the heart's remarkable functionality and resilience.

[charlottee5]

Heart

Your heart is the main organ of your cardiovascular system, a network of blood vessels that pumps blood throughout your body. It also works with other body systems to control your heart rate and blood pressure. Your family history, personal health history and lifestyle all affect how well your heart works.

Function

What is the heart’s function?

Your heart’s main function is to move blood throughout your body. Your heart also:

Controls the rhythm and speed of your heart rate.

Maintains your blood pressure.

How does your heart work with other organs?

Your heart works with other body systems to control your heart rate and other body functions. The primary systems are:

Nervous system: Your nervous system helps control your heart rate. It sends signals that tell your heart to beat slower during rest and faster during stress.

Endocrine system: Your endocrine system sends out hormones. These hormones tell your blood vessels to constrict or relax, which affects your blood pressure. Hormones from your thyroid gland can also tell your heart to beat faster or slower.

Anatomy

Where is your heart located?

Your heart is located in the front of your chest. It sits slightly behind and to the left of your sternum (breastbone). Your ribcage protects your heart.

What side is your heart on?

Your heart is slightly on the left side of your body. It sits between your right and left lungs. The left lung is slightly smaller to make room for the heart in your left chest.

How big is your heart?

Everyone’s heart is a slightly different size. Generally, adult hearts are about the same size as two clenched fists, and children’s hearts are about the same size as one clenched fist.

How much does your heart weigh?

On average, an adult’s heart weighs about 10 ounces. Your heart may weigh a little more or a little less, depending on your body size and sex.

What are the parts of the heart’s anatomy?

The parts of your heart are like the parts of a house. Your heart has:

Walls.

Chambers (rooms).

Valves (doors).

Blood vessels (plumbing).

Electrical conduction system (electricity).

Heart walls

Your heart walls are the muscles that contract (squeeze) and relax to send blood throughout your body. A layer of muscular tissue called the septum divides your heart walls into the left and right sides.

Your heart walls have three layers:

Endocardium: Inner layer.

Myocardium: Muscular middle layer.

Epicardium: Protective outer layer.

The epicardium is one layer of your pericardium. The pericardium is a protective sac that covers your entire heart. It produces fluid to lubricate your heart and keep it from rubbing against other organs.

Heart chambers

Your heart is divided into four chambers. You have two chambers on the top (atrium, plural atria) and two on the bottom (ventricles), one on each side of the heart.

Right atrium: Two large veins deliver oxygen-poor blood to your right atrium. The superior vena cava carries blood from your upper body. The inferior vena cava brings blood from the lower body. Then the right atrium pumps the blood to your right ventricle.

Right ventricle: The lower right chamber pumps the oxygen-poor blood to your lungs through the pulmonary artery. The lungs reload blood with oxygen.

Left atrium: After the lungs fill blood with oxygen, the pulmonary veins carry the blood to the left atrium. This upper chamber pumps the blood to your left ventricle.

Left ventricle: The left ventricle is slightly larger than the right. It pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.

Heart valves

Your heart valves are like doors between your heart chambers. They open and close to allow blood to flow through.

The atrioventricular (AV) valves open between your upper and lower heart chambers. They include:

Tricuspid valve: Door between your right atrium and right ventricle.

Mitral valve: Door between your left atrium and left ventricle.

Semilunar (SL) valves open when blood flows out of your ventricles. They include:

Aortic valve: Opens when blood flows out of your left ventricle to your aorta (artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to your body).

Pulmonary valve: Opens when blood flows from your right ventricle to your pulmonary arteries (the only arteries that carry oxygen-poor blood to your lungs).

Blood vessels

Your heart pumps blood through three types of blood vessels:

Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your body’s tissues. The exception is your pulmonary arteries, which go to your lungs.

Veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to your heart.

Capillaries are small blood vessels where your body exchanges oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood.

Your heart receives nutrients through a network of coronary arteries. These arteries run along your heart’s surface. They serve the heart itself.

Left coronary artery: Divides into two branches (the circumflex artery and the left anterior descending artery).

Circumflex artery: Supplies blood to the left atrium and the side and back of the left ventricle.

Left anterior descending artery (LAD): Supplies blood to the front and bottom of the left ventricle and the front of the septum.

Right coronary artery (RCA): Supplies blood to the right atrium, right ventricle, bottom portion of the left ventricle and back of the septum.

Electrical conduction system

Your heart’s conduction system is like the electrical wiring of a house. It controls the rhythm and pace of your heartbeat. It includes:

Sinoatrial (SA) node: Sends the signals that make your heart beat.

Atrioventricular (AV) node: Carries electrical signals from your heart’s upper chambers to its lower ones.

Your heart also has a network of electrical bundles and fibers. This network includes:

Left bundle branch: Sends electric impulses to your left ventricle.

Right bundle branch: Sends electric impulses to your right ventricle.

Bundle of His: Sends impulses from your AV node to the Purkinje fibers.

Purkinje fibers: Make your heart ventricles contract and pump out blood.

Conditions and Disorders

What conditions and disorders affect the human heart?

Heart conditions are among the most common types of disorders affecting people. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of all genders and most ethnic and racial groups.

Common conditions that affect your heart include:

Atrial fibrillation (Afib): Irregular electrical impulses in your atrium.

Arrhythmia: A heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or beats with an irregular rhythm.

Cardiomyopathy: Unusual thickening, enlargement or stiffening of your heart muscle.

Congestive heart failure: When your heart is too stiff or too weak to properly pump blood throughout your body.

Coronary artery disease: Plaque buildup that leads to narrow coronary arteries.

Heart attack (myocardial infarction): A sudden coronary artery blockage that cuts off oxygen to part of your heart muscle.

Pericarditis: Inflammation in your heart’s lining (pericardium).

[mycareindia-health]

Best Cardiac Hospital in India

The thick focal piece of the heart is comprised of cardiac muscle. It makes up one of three types of muscle in the body, the others being skeletal and smooth. For a better treatment of cardiac, you can think about the Best cardiac hospital in India. My Care India stresses the appropriate consideration and best treatment for its patients as a help association. A slim external covering called an epicardium and an inward endocardium circles the myocardium. Coronary supply routes give blood to the heart muscle, while cardiovascular veins channel it.

The fundamental cells that spread the word about the heart muscle are cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes' chief intention is to contract, producing the tension expected for circling blood all through the circulatory framework. My Care India is an Indian clinical help organization. We help to find the best cardiac hospital in India. As a medical services help association, we want to help you find the best specialists, treatments, and establishments for your specific medical problem. My Care India is an Indian medical help service-providing organization. As a medical services help association, we want to help you find the best specialists, treatments, and foundations for your specific medical problem.

read more- https://mycareindia.com/best-cardiac-hospital-in-india.html

[adj444]

SEPT. 29 '23

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it's funny how this works; myself and the two people i was sitting between were left with whiplash after this morning's 2hr H&AB class and it felt like i was never going to be able to begin to understand wtf that lady was talking about, but then afterwards with a free afternoon i took 3? hours to just take it slow, type out my simple handwritten notes from this morning, stare intensely at diagrams & read thru the lecture slides and U know what.... i'm not afraid anymore<3

NATURE OF NURSING: no classes today but started the beginnings of some digital notes on intro nursing theory, here's what my unfinished sheet on ADLs looks like so far lol!!

HEALTH & APPL. BIOSCIENCES: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM TODAY AUGHHHH i'm TELLING YOU they're releasing NEW BIOLOGY bro WTF IS THIS SHIT !!!!!

blood pressure: force of blood pushing against inside walls of vessels

heart position: slightly left of midline deep to the sternum in the mediastinum (compartment of thorax)

pericardium: tough sac restricts ♡ mvmt -> only moves slightly in thorax

fibrous p.c. = outer covering of tough dense connective tissue

serous p.c. = parietal layer (lines inner surface of fibrous p.c.) + visceral layer (epicardium, covers outer surface of ♡)

pericardial cavity = space between parietal & visceral layers

♡ walls = 3 distinct layers

epi = visceral layer of serous p.c. + connective tissue

myo = cardiac muscle

endo = lining of ♡ chamber (touches blood)

external ♡ anatomy: bottom point of ♡ = inferior apex; top point of ♡ = superior base -> 2x small superior atria + 2x larger inferior ventricles // separated by coronary sulcus (deep groove, lets veins & arts sit nicely on surface)

aneurysm: abnormal swelling of heart or artery/vein walls // varicose veins -> weakened valves

and now i present to you my desperate attempt to understand all these new tubes I JUST REALIZED I FORGOT THE CORONARY SINUS DRAINING INTO THE R. ATRIUM AUGHHHHH i also drew a diagram on paper of the heart yaaay

[physicsmadeeasykota]

Watch "ANATOMY OF THE HEART; EPICARDIUM; CARDIAC MUSCLES; HEART CHAMBER; ATRIA; heart diagram easy draw;" on YouTube

[nursingscience]

Anatomy & Physiology

Quick Reviews

➖Cardiovascular system

❑ A client’s electrocardiogram showing ST elevation in leads V2 , V3 , and V4 suggests an anterior-wall myocardial infarction.

❑ The left anterior descending artery is the primary source of blood for the anterior wall of the heart.

❑ The circumfl ex artery supplies the lateral wall of the heart.

❑ The internal mammary artery supplies the breast.

❑ The coronary arteries may receive a minute portion of blood during systole.

❑ Most of the blood flow to the coronary arteries is supplied during diastole.

❑ Breathing patterns are irrelevant to blood flow.

❑ Coronary artery disease accounts for 30% of all deaths in the United states.

❑ Atherosclerosis, or plaque formation, is the leading cause of coronary artery disease.

❑ A myocardial infarction is commonly a result of coronary artery disease.

❑ In atherosclerosis, hardened blood vessels can’t dilate properly; therefore,they constrict blood flow and block oxygen transport. As a result, oxygen can’t reach the heart muscle, resulting in angina.

❑ Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for coronary artery disease that can be controlled with diet, exercise, and medication.

❑ Cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL are considered excessive and are a risk factor for developing coronary artery disease.

❑ Total cholesterol levels below 240 mg/dL are considered below the nationally accepted levels and carry a lesser risk of coronary artery disease.

❑ A lipid panel tests the amount of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides.

❑ Sublingual nitroglycerin is administered to treat acute angina.

❑ Coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are invasive, surgical treatments for coronary artery disease.

❑ An electrocardiogram showing ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF suggests occlusion of the right coronary artery.

❑ The right coronary artery supplies the right ventricle, or the inferior portion of the heart.

❑ Occlusion of the right coronary artery could produce an infarction in that area.

❑ The most common symptom of a myocardial infarction is chest pain, resulting from deprivation of oxygen to the heart.

❑ The correct landmark for obtaining an apical pulse is the left fifth intercostal space in the midclavicular line.

❑ The apex of the heart is the point of maximal impulse where heart sounds are heard loudest.

❑ Rescuers of adult victims should begin compressions rather than opening the airway and delivering breaths.

❑ The sequence for cardiopulmonary resuscitation is CAB (compressions, airway, breathing) rather than ABC (airway, breathing, compressions).

❑ Chest compression depth on an adult should be at least 2 inches (5 cm).

❑ All rescuers, trained or not, should deliver high-quality chest compressions by pushing hard to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm), at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute, allowing full chest recoil after each compression, and minimizing interruptions in chest compressions.

❑ Trained rescuers should also provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation with a compression to ventilation ratio of 30:2.

❑ The outermost layer of the heart is called the epicardium.

❑ The epicardium is made up of squamous epithelial cells overlying connective tissue.

❑ The myocardium is the middle layer of the heart and forms most of the heart wall.

❑ The myocardium has striated muscle fi bers that cause the heart to contract.

❑ The heart’s inner layer is called the endocardium.

❑ The endocardium consists of endothelial tissue with blood vessels and bundles of smooth muscle.

❑ The serous pericardium has two layers: the parietal and the visceral layer.

❑ The pericardium surrounds the heart and the roots of the great vessels.

❑ The pericardium has two layers: the fi brous and serous pericardium.

❑ Pulmonic sounds can be auscultated at the left second intercostal space in the midclavicular line.

❑ Abnormalities of the pulmonic valve are auscultated at the left second intercostal space along the left sternal border.

❑ Aortic valve abnormalities are heard at the second intercostal space to the right of the sternum.

[fingons-rad-harp]

fingons-rad-harp's Tolkien masterlist

Maedhros in Angband: Just a Scratch, Pt. 1 Pinned to the Wall Made a Slave

Russingon: For Comfort + Bonus Too Weak to Move After a Nightmare Like a White Fire Within

Maeglin + "Do you trust me?" Maeglin + "I'm fine."

Eluréd & Elurín + Presumed Dead

Kidnap Fam: Little Stars I Need You So Much Closer Never Fade Into Nothingness Things You Said When I Was Sick Nightingale Variations on Fear and Lack Thereof

Silvergifting: The Other Side of the Mirror Touch-Starved + Faux-Affectionate Villain Just a Scratch, Pt. 2

Maglor: The Last of the House of Fëanáro Lone Wanderer (x OFC) untitled Magilith ficlet Bedside Vigil epicardium

Third Age: Rules of Imladris Celebrían + Carried to Safety Legolas + Torture, Begging Dol Guldur + Aftermath Adventures in Middle-earth Elladan & Elrohir + Adrenaline Crash