Heart and circulation

In short: The heart pumps blood through a closed system of tubes made of arteries, veins and capillaries. It transports oxygen and nutrients to the cells and removes waste.

In more detail: The heart is a fist-sized hollow muscle with four chambers and beats about 60 to 80 times per minute at rest.

In detail

• Four chambers: Two atria and two ventricles; heart valves act as valves.
• Systemic circulation: The left half of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body.
• Pulmonary circulation: The right half pumps blood to the lungs, where it takes up oxygen.
• Vessels: Arteries lead away from the heart, veins back, capillaries exchange substances.
• Blood volume: Adults have about five to six litres of blood (blut-zusammensetzung-und-aufgaben).
• Pulse and blood pressure: Show the work of the heart (blutdruck-grundlagen).
• Healthy heart: Exercise, little salt, not smoking, stress reduction (ausdauertraining-grundlagen).
• Emergency: Chest pain with radiation, breathlessness: call 112 immediately.