What are the parts of the heart?
The parts of your heart are like the parts of a building. Your heart anatomy includes:
Walls.
Chambers that are like rooms.
Valves that open and close like doors to the rooms.
Blood vessels like plu Common signs or symptoms of heart conditions
Symptoms of heart conditions include:
Chest pain.
Heart palpitations.
Dizziness.
Shortness of breath.
Fatigue.
Swelling in your lower body.
Common tests to check the health of your heart
Tests to check your heart health include:
Blood pressure measurement.
Electrocardiogram (EKG).
Echocardiogram.
Chest X-ray.
Blood tests.
Cardiac catheterization.
Computed tomography (CT).
Heart MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
Stress test.
Common treatments for the heart
Treatments for heart conditions include:
Medicine to lower blood pressure or prevent clotting, for example.
Changes to daily habits, like what you eat and how much physical activity you
get.
Medical devices like a pacemaker.
Procedures like catheter ablation or angioplasty.
Operations like coronary artery bypass surgery or a valve replacement.
Care
How can I keep my heart healthy?
If you have a condition that affects your heart, follow your healthcare provider’s
treatment plan. It’s important to take medications at the right times and in the right
amounts.
You can also make lifestyle changes to keep your heart healthy. You can strive to:
Achieve and maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.
Drink alcohol in moderation.
Eat heart-healthy foods like plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Be physically active for at least 150 minutes per week.
Limit how much sodium you consume.
Manage your stress with healthy strategies like meditation or journaling.
Quit smoking and/or using tobacco products and avoid secondhand smoke. If
you smoke, ask a healthcare provider for resources to help you quit.
Additional Common Questions
What should I ask my doctor about my heart?
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
How does my family history affect my heart health?
What can I do to lower my blood pressure?
How do my cholesterol levels affect my heart?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack?
What foods should I eat to prevent heart disease?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
As the main organ of your circulatory system, your heart keeps you alive. It pumps
blood throughout your body, bringing oxygen to your cells and tissues. Since your
heart plays such a vital role, it’s important to take care of it. Conditions that affect
your heart are very common, but you have the power to make changes for a stronger
heart. Ask your healthcare provider how you can improve your heart health.
mbing pipes that run through a building.
An electrical conduction system like electrical power that runs through a
building.
Heart walls
Your heart walls are the muscles that contract (squeeze) and relax to send blood
throughout your body. A layer of muscular tissue called the septum divides your
heart walls into the left and right sides.
Your heart walls have three layers:
Endocardium: Inner layer.
Myocardium: Muscular middle layer.
Epicardium: Protective outer layer.
The epicardium is one layer of your pericardium. The pericardium is a protective sac
that covers your entire heart. It produces fluid to lubricate your heart and keep it from
rubbing against other organs.
Heart chambers
Your heart has four separate chambers. You have two chambers on the top (atrium,
plural atria) and two on the bottom (ventricles), one on each side of your heart.
Right atrium: Two large veins deliver oxygen-poor blood to your right atrium.
The superior vena cava carries blood from your upper body. The inferior vena
cava brings blood from your lower body. Then the right atrium pumps the
blood to your right ventricle.
Right ventricle: The lower right chamber pumps the oxygen-poor blood to
your lungs through the pulmonary artery. The lungs reload the blood with
oxygen.
Left atrium: After the lungs fill your blood with oxygen, the pulmonary veins
carry the blood to the left atrium. This upper chamber pumps the blood to your
left ventricle.
Left ventricle: The left ventricle is slightly larger than the right. It pumps
oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
Heart valves
Your heart valves are like doors between your heart chambers. They open and close
to allow blood to flow through. They also keep your blood from moving in the wrong
direction.
Atrioventricular valves
The atrioventricular (AV) valves open between your upper and lower heart
chambers. They include:
Tricuspid valve: Door between your right atrium and right ventricle.
Mitral valve: Door between your left atrium and left ventricle.
