Cardiac Anatomy and Blood Flow Through the Heart

The heart is an extremely intricate organ of the body made mostly of cardiac muscle. The heart is not only responsible for pumping blood to the lungs and the rest of the body, but it supplies blood to itself via the coronary arteries. Knowing how blood flows through the heart will ultimately inform you of the majority of the anatomical structures of the heart. When it comes to blood flow through the heart, the foundational number is four (4). There are 4 chambers of the heart, 4 valves within the heart, and 4 large vessels that attach at the base of the heart. Reminder, the base of the heart is the broad superior region, whereas the apex is the pointed inferior region.

Directions:

Perform an online search for an unlabeled image of the heart that adequately provides visualization of all the relevant anatomical structures (listed below). It is recommended that you submit this assignment as a PDF to avoid any formatting concerns.

Part 1: Labeling image

Label the following structures on the image. To create labels, you can use arrows and text boxes within Microsoft Word (or similar software). You can find these items usually under the ‘Insert’ tab.

1. Right Atrium
2. Left Atrium
3. Right Ventricle
4. Left Ventricle
5. Tricuspid (Right AV) Valve
6. Bicuspid (Left AV/Mitral) Valve
7. Pulmonary Semilunar Valve
8. Aortic Semilunar Valve
9. Aorta
10. Pulmonary Arteries
11. Pulmonary Veins
12. Superior and Inferior Vena Cava

Part 2: Blood flow through the heart

Starting in the right atrium, identify the correct sequence of blood through the heart. This should include all structures listed in part 1 above (12), as well as the lungs and body (for a total of 14 steps). Present this in such a way that it is the most meaningful for your own understanding and study habits. However, make sure all steps are clearly identified. Be sure to create a separate visual from Part 1.

APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

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