Blood Flow Through the Heart - ICU Advantage

Introduction

• Presenter: Eddie Watson
• Platform: ICU Advantage
• Focus: Simplifying critical care topics for better understanding
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Overview of the Heart's Function

• The heart is the powerhouse of the circulatory system.
• Responsible for continuous blood movement throughout the body:
  • Provides oxygenated blood and nutrients.
  • Carries away waste and returns deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
• Understanding blood flow is vital for grasping cardiac conditions and problems.

Basic Definitions

• Veins: Blood vessels carrying blood towards the heart.
• Arteries: Blood vessels carrying blood away from the heart.
• Color Coding in Diagrams:
  • Blue: Deoxygenated blood
  • Red: Oxygenated blood

Heart Structure

Chambers

• Four main chambers:
  • Atria: 2 upper chambers (right atrium, left atrium)
  • Ventricles: 2 lower chambers (right ventricle, left ventricle)
• Function:
  • Atria help load the ventricles before they eject blood.

Sides of the Heart

• Right side: Manages deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
• Left side: Manages oxygenated blood from the lungs.

Heart Valves

• Four main valves, act as one-way valves to prevent backflow:
  • Tricuspid Valve: Between right atrium and ventricle
  • Pulmonic Valve: Exiting right ventricle
  • Mitral Valve: Exiting left atrium, also known as bicuspid valve
  • Aortic Valve: Exiting left ventricle
• Note: Mitral valve has two leaflets (bicuspid), others have three.

Blood Vessels

• Inferior/Superior Vena Cava: Bring deoxygenated blood to right atrium.
• Pulmonary Artery: Carries deoxygenated blood to lungs.
• Pulmonary Veins: Bring oxygenated blood back to left atrium.
• Aorta: Carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the body.

Blood Flow Process

1. Deoxygenated Blood Return
   • Via inferior and superior vena cava to the right atrium.
2. Right Atrium to Right Ventricle
   • Blood passes through the tricuspid valve.
3. Right Ventricle to Lungs
   • Through the pulmonic valve into the pulmonary artery.
4. Oxygenation in Lungs
   • Blood releases CO2 and picks up O2.
5. Return of Oxygenated Blood
   • Via pulmonary veins to the left atrium.
6. Left Atrium to Left Ventricle
   • Blood passes through the mitral valve.
7. Left Ventricle to Body
   • Through the aortic valve into the aorta.

Mnemonic

• TPMA: Toilet Paper My Asset
  • Tricuspid, Pulmonic, Mitral, Aortic

Conclusion

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