How do our hearts beat 24/7 without needing to take a break/rest period?
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The heart is made up of four chambers: the right atrium, the left atrium, the right ventricle, and the left ventricle. The atria are the upper chambers of the heart and the ventricles are the lower chambers. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The left side of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.
The heart is a muscle and like all muscles, it needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to keep it healthy and functioning properly. The heart gets these things from the blood that flows through it. The heart also needs to get rid of waste products, such as carbon dioxide, that it produces.
The heart has its own electrical system that controls the rate at which it beats. This system is made up of four parts: the sinoatrial node (SA node), the atrioventricular node (AV node), the bundle of His, and the Purkinje fibers.
The SA node is a group of cells in the right atrium. The SA node is important because it sets the pace of the heart beat. The SA node sends out electrical signals that make the atria contract.
The AV node is a group of cells in the lower right chamber of the heart. The AV node is important because it delays the electrical signal before it goes to the ventricles. This delay gives the atria time to contract and fill the ventricles with blood.
The bundle of His is a bundle of fibers that goes from the AV node to the Purkinje fibers. The bundle of His carries the electrical signal to the ventricles.
The Purkinje fibers are a network of fibers in the ventricles. The Purkinje fibers carry the electrical signal to the muscles of the ventricles. This signal makes the ventricles contract and pump blood out to the body.
The heart beats about 60-80 times per minute when we are at rest. That means that the heart pumps about 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters) of blood every day!
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