Cambridge Cardiac Rehab Education: Week 6 How Your Heart Works

How Your Heart Works: The heart is like a house. It has rooms. There are 4 rooms (called chambers) in the heart: 2 small ones (called atria) 2 larger ones (called ventricles) It has doors. There are doors (called valves) between the rooms that open and close to allow blood to flow through the heart. It has electricity. The heart’s electrical system has a built-in pacemaker. It has plumbing. The heart has small pipes (called coronary arteries). Everything works together to keep it functioning. The rooms (chambers) and doors (valves) work together as a pump. The heart is a muscle that pumps blood to the lungs and the body. Each time the heart contracts (beats), this pumping action is felt in the large arteries of the body as a pulsing sensation. This is what you feel when you take your pulse. The electricity allows the heart to pump 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The pipes supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. Important Notice: These videos are for information only. They do not replace advice or treatment from your doctor or healthcare team. Talk to your doctor before you start an exercise program. Stop doing any exercise that causes pain and tell your healthcare team.