Understanding the Heart: Its Function and Factors Affecting Its Health

Our heart is very phenomenal in that it works from the day we are born to the day we die. It never goes on break, or take a rest because if it does, it becomes problematic to the body. The cells and the organs around it including the liver, the kidney, the brain, and the lungs start to die because they all depend on the oxygenated blood pumped from that selfless organ.

The heart isn't the one producing the blood, neither is it the one mixing it with oxygen, but it is responsible for supplying the entire body including itself oxygenated blood and taking away de-oxygenated blood from the cells, tissues, and organs. The heart is made up of four chambers which are the Atria and the Ventricles. Using plural because they are divided into 2 and that is why there are four chambers in the heart. The chambers are the left and right atria, and the left and right ventricles.

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The Atria is responsible for receiving blood which can either be oxygenated blood from the lungs or de-oxygenated blood from the body. In one word, its job in the heart is to receive blood. The ventricles are doing the entire opposite of the atria so they are pumping blood out of the heart to either the lungs or the body. If the heart is beating faster than normal at rest, it is referred to as tachycardia and if it is beating slower than normal, then it is known as Bradycardia. In supplying the body, the heart supplies itself using the coronary arteries and it uses other vessels to supply the body.

This said, the heart can be damaged due to certain factors including hypertension where the blood vessel is narrow causing the heart to overwork itself so as to perform in optimal function. When there is a narrowing of the heart with the blood pressure being a lot to deal with, the heart starts to pump faster and so becomes bigger but the chambers aren't getting bigger, rather they are getting smaller (Concentric hypertrophy) so little blood goes into the heart and the heart needs to work harder and this can lead to heart failure.

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Food especially Junk food is another factor for heart failure. These foods increases the LDL protein in the body. Once this cholesterol increases beyond what the body can hold, it starts to store in different parts of the body including in blood vessels leading to the narrowing of the blood vessel thereby causing an increased pressure by the heart to work more to get blood out. This plaques can also be formed in the coronary arteries thereby preventing blood bring supplied to the heart. When the heart isn't getting enough blood, some tissues in the heart start to experience necrosis leading to cardiac ischemia.

Obesity is a risk factor for a lot of things including increasing the heart rate which can lead to a heart attack over time. Smoking especially tobacco or cigarette is another risk factor. Smoking reduces blood supply to certain organs and the heart is not spared at all. Not exercising is another problem. It is important to exercise as when you do this, the heart rate increases, and the blood vessels also increase thereby reducing the amount of work needed to be done by the heart to pump blood to the body.

The heart is a vital organ that demands care and attention. Understanding how it functions and recognizing the factors that can harm it is crucial for maintaining heart health. By managing hypertension, maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding smoking, and staying active, you can help ensure your heart continues to function effectively throughout your life.

Reference

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-failure/
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-failure
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-heart-disease
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronary-heart-disease
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/causes/
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-heart-disease/causes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554410/