In an earlier article, I’ve discussed the four heart chambers – the two upper chambers called atria, and the two lower ones called ventricles. Let’s talk a little more about the atria. The atria [singular : atrium] are thin walled upper chambers of the heart. There are two atria, one on the right and the other on the left. The right atrium […]
Over the years, many have asked me this question – “What exactly is OPEN HEART surgery ?”. “Hey, that’s easy !”, you say. “It’s an operation which is done after opening the heart, right ?” Correct. But it’s not easy! Let me try and explain. I’ve told you earlier about how the heart pumps “pure” blood […]
CHD Info An informative resource on Congenital Heart Defects with detailed articles on each form of CHD. Congenital Heart Disease Information and Resources CHIN contains a tremendous amount of information on resources concerning congenital heart disease Adult Congenital Heart Disease Forum Adult Congenital Heart Disease Forum is a site devoted to birth defects of the heart in […]
Despite much research, in the majority of cases, Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) occur without any known cause. This is one reason the incidence has remained fairly constant at 7 to 8 cases per 1000 live births over decades, while other forms of heart disease have been declining in frequency. We know the causes of some […]
In another article you’ll learn about the upper chambers of the heart called the Atria. This one will focus on the lower chambers of the heart – called the Ventricles. The ventricles are the powerful pumping chambers of the heart. Located below the atria, there are two ventricles, right and left. Together, by their actions, these chambers […]
In earlier articles, you have read about the upper and lower chambers of the heart – the atria and the ventricles. You have also seen that the circulation is divided into two separate streams, one of which has blood returning from other organs back to the heart for oxygenation, and the other from the heart […]
The Atrio-Ventricular valves (or A-V valves) are exactly what their name implies. They are valves located between the atria and ventricles. Since there are two atria and two ventricles, it follows naturally that there must be two A-V valves. The one on the right is called the Tricuspid Valve and the one on the left […]
Before we talk about coronary artery disease and its treatment, it is necessary to understand what exactly the human coronary artery system is made up of. I will briefly explain the coronary arterial tree in man, and later we will see what disease of these arteries can cause. Why do we need coronary arteries ? […]