World Heart Day | "It's the heartbeat!" How much do you know about the heart?

Review expert: Peng Guoqiu, deputy chief physician of the Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

When expressing emotions and feelings, we like to use the word "heart", happy, sad, upset, heartbroken...

We often talk about the "heart", but have you ever known the heart, the most important part of a living being? Today, let's get to know it.

Human engine

Human engine

If the human body is compared to a car, then the heart is the engine of the body.

The most important function of the heart in the human body is to pump blood, commonly known as the "blood pump". Its function is to pump the nutrients and oxygen needed for human life activities through a device called the "left heart system" and transport them to all parts of the body through arterial channels for use by tissues. When strenuous exercise occurs, various tissues and organs will experience ischemia and hypoxia. The heart increases the heart rate to allow various tissues and organs to obtain oxygen and blood nourishment.

The heart also has an endocrine function, which can secrete atrial natriuretic peptide, ventricular natriuretic peptide, etc., and is also involved in the metabolism of the entire human body. It can also excrete metabolic products through other organs.

Two-bedroom, two-living-room luxury house

Human engine

The heart consists of four chambers: the left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, and right ventricle. There are valves between the atria and ventricles. The mitral valve is at the entrance of the left ventricle and the aortic valve is at the exit; the tricuspid valve is at the entrance of the right ventricle and the pulmonary valve is at the exit.

This is what is called a "two-bedroom, two-living-room" apartment.

In addition, the heart is mainly composed of myocardium, and myocardial fibers have strong contraction and relaxation capabilities. There are valves between the atria and chambers, and between the ventricles and the arterial outlets. These valves are similar to water pump valves. They are open when the blood flows downstream and closed when the blood flows upstream. The function of these valves is to prevent blood from flowing back and ensure the directional flow of blood in the heart. If the valve is narrow or not closed tightly, it will affect the normal flow of blood and cause a decline in heart function.

These together make up the organ called the heart.

The heart is always on the left?

Human engine

Most people's hearts are on the left side, but some people's hearts are on the right side.

A normal heart is located in the chest cavity, above the diaphragm, with about 2/3 located on the left side of the midline and 1/3 located on the right side of the midline, and the apex pointing to the left front and lower side.

But some people have a heart that is located in the middle, and a very small number of people have a heart that is mostly located on the right side, with the apex pointing to the lower right front, which is called dextrocardia.

Dextrocardia is generally a congenital positional abnormality, with an incidence rate of about 0.1% of all newborns. However, if it is not accompanied by other cardiovascular malformations, the baby can still live and work like normal people.

It’s a “heart-pounding feeling”

Human engine

"I feel my heart beating so fast, am I falling in love?" "I can clearly feel my heart beating!" But this is not real heartbeat, but heart palpitations.

Palpitations are a subjective feeling of a strong, irregular and uncomfortable heartbeat, which can be manifested as a rapid slapping sensation in the chest, a heavy thumping sensation in the chest or neck, etc. Some people may experience chest pain, chest tightness, sweating, dyspnea, dizziness, and lack of strength. If palpitations occur at rest, with slight emotional fluctuations, or with slight exercise, it may be inappropriate sinus tachycardia.

Inappropriate sinus tachycardia, also known as idiopathic sinus tachycardia, is a clinical syndrome that has not yet been clearly defined. It refers to an excessively accelerated resting heart rate in response to activity or mental stress, with a sinus rate >100 beats/min and no other causes of tachycardia. It is a rare and special type of sinus tachycardia.

If inappropriate tachycardia has occurred, you should avoid mental stress, quit smoking and drinking, eat properly, exercise appropriately, and prevent colds in your daily life.

Although the heart is small, it is very important to us. In today's rapidly developing economy, people are under tremendous mental and psychological pressure, and the burden on the heart is getting bigger and bigger. From today on, let us understand the heart and protect it.