Question

Starting from the right atrium, describe the blood flow through the heart including the major blood vessels that go into and out of the heart.

Answer 1

Answer

• Heart acts as pump to supply blood all over the body.
• The blood supply through the heart is divided into systemic and pulmonary circulation.
• Pulmonary circulation begins at right atrium. From right atrium, the deoxygenated blood flows into right ventricle via tricuspid valve.
• When ventricles contract, the blood from right ventricle moves into pulmonary trunk via pulmonary semilunar valve. Blood further moves into right and left pulmonary arteries that carry blood into right and left lungs.
• In lungs, gaseous exchange takes place between alveolar surface and pulmonary capillaries (oxygen is diffused into capillaries and carbon dioxide into alveoli).
• Oxygenated blood from here travels through pulmonary veins into left atrium.
• Systemic circulation begins at left atrium. From left atrium, the blood flows into left ventricle via bicuspid valve.
• When ventricles contract, the blood from left ventricle moves into aorta via aortic semilunar valve.
• Aorta braches into systemic artreries that delivers oxygenated blood to body organs.
• Gaseous exchange takes place in systemic capillaries where oxygen is diffused into tissues and carbon dioxide into capillaries.
• Systemic veins carry deoxygenated blood and drain into superior and inferior vena cava.
• Both vana cava drains deoxygenated blood into right atrium.