Your Heart and How It Works -- Drawings of Blood Flow
Your Heart and How It Works
Your heart is a muscle that is located in your chest. It is a little larger than your fist and weighs less than a pound. Your heart pumps blood to the lungs and to all parts of your body.
The heart has four chambers. A wall (septum) divides the heart into a right side and a left side. Each side of the heart is divided into two chambers. The upper chamber of each side is called the atrium. The lower chamber of each side is called the ventricle. Valves separate these chambers.
The valves allow the blood to flow in only one direction. Valves direct the flow of blood through the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body. There are 4 valves in the heart:
- Tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle
- Pulmonic valve is between the right ventricle and the blood vessels to the lungs
- Mitral valve is between the left atrium and the left ventricle
- Aortic valve is between the left ventricle and the aorta (the large artery that carries the blood to the body).
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 06/14/2012
Copyright © 06/14/2012 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#4435
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