I thought I would explain (as best as I can) how a normal heart works because that will help me explain how Max's heart is different.
A normal heart has four chambers. The upper two chambers are the atria and the lower two chambers are the ventricles. Blood is pumped through the chambers, aided by four valves.
When we met with the cardiologist he described the blood pumping through the heart as either blue blood or red blood. The blue blood is low in oxygen and the red blood is oxygen rich. The basic way blood is pumped through the heart follows this pattern: blue blood flows back to the heart after circulating through the body. It returns to the heart through veins and enters the right atrium. This chamber empties blood through a valve into the right ventricle (B). The right ventricle then pumps the blood into the pulmonary artery. From there the blood goes to the lungs where it gets fresh oxygen (C). That blood is now refreshed with oxygen and is considered the red blood.
The red blood returns by the pulmonary vein into the left atrium. From there it passes through a valve and enters the left ventricle (D). The left ventricle pumps the red blood out through the aorta and the aorta take the blood to the body to circulate (E).
Now that is my basic understanding. I apologize to anyone with a medical background if I totally butchered that process. Please let me know if I am missing a step or not explaining things correctly because I want to make sure I understand the proper function of the heart.
A normal heart has four chambers. The upper two chambers are the atria and the lower two chambers are the ventricles. Blood is pumped through the chambers, aided by four valves.
When we met with the cardiologist he described the blood pumping through the heart as either blue blood or red blood. The blue blood is low in oxygen and the red blood is oxygen rich. The basic way blood is pumped through the heart follows this pattern: blue blood flows back to the heart after circulating through the body. It returns to the heart through veins and enters the right atrium. This chamber empties blood through a valve into the right ventricle (B). The right ventricle then pumps the blood into the pulmonary artery. From there the blood goes to the lungs where it gets fresh oxygen (C). That blood is now refreshed with oxygen and is considered the red blood.
The red blood returns by the pulmonary vein into the left atrium. From there it passes through a valve and enters the left ventricle (D). The left ventricle pumps the red blood out through the aorta and the aorta take the blood to the body to circulate (E).
Now that is my basic understanding. I apologize to anyone with a medical background if I totally butchered that process. Please let me know if I am missing a step or not explaining things correctly because I want to make sure I understand the proper function of the heart.
1 comment:
That is a perfect description Mary! BRAVO! Have you ever considered medical school, yourself? Just teasing. But you are way awesome
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