Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The pathway of blood flow through the heart 

Q:  Freshly oxygenated blood transported from the lungs is first received by the

a.      Right ventricle

b.      Left ventricle

c.      Right atrium

d.     Left atrium

This question is about heart anatomy and physiology. You would expect such a question every time you write a test related to the cardiovascular system. The question mentioned the oxygenated blood. You should focus on this part. You should know which part of the heart it has oxygenated blood and which part it has the deoxygenated. The anatomy of the heart is about a hollow, cone-shaped structure. Has four champers or cavities, two small champers in the upper side called atria, divided into right and left atria, and two large champers in the lower side called ventricles, also divided into right and left ventricles.  The two right chambers (right atrium and right ventricle) will have blood that should not mix with the blood of left side chambers (left atrium and left ventricle). An interventricular septum separates them. From that, we can understand the blood on the right side of the heart is different from the left side by the component of gases. If you look at the image, you will find the arrows on the right side of the heart is in blue.


In contrast, the arrows on the left side are colored by the red color. That will tell us the blood flow on the right side have a low level of oxygen, which is called deoxygenated blood, while the blood flow on the left side has a high level of oxygen when the blood exchanges the gases in the lungs which are called oxygenated blood. Try to follow the arrows in the image as they will guide you to understand the heart anatomy and blood flow. Start from number 1; the deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium coming from the superior and inferior vena cava vein. 2 is the right atrium, which will push the blood to the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. 3 the right ventricle will contract to push the blood to the pulmonary arteries through the semilunar valve. 4 and 5, the deoxygenated blood will flow to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries for gas exchange. Till this number or point, the journey of deoxygenated blood will end. The journey of oxygenated blood will start from number 6. At this point, the blood will enter the left atrium comes from the lung by the pulmonary veins. 7 the blood will push by the contraction of the left atrium to the left ventricle through the bicuspid valve. 8, once the left ventricle received the oxygenated blood, it will contract to empty its chamber by sending the blood to the aorta through the semilunar aortic valve. 9 and 10 present the oxygenated blood in the aorta moving towered the entire body cells.

Back to the question, which heart chamber should first receive oxygenated blood? I believe you would love to answer it by yourself.

Some essential things left you should know;

The pulmonary arteries, the only arteries, carry deoxygenated blood.

The pulmonary veins the only veins carry oxygenated blood.

The term semilunar for the valves between the ventricles and pulmonary arteries and veins.

A tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and the right ventricle.

A tricuspid valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle, and it is called the mitral valve.

from ( Medical Terminology, Human Anatomy, and Physiology Certification Pretest volume 1) book by Oday Alubaidi 

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