Functions of the Heart and Blood

What is the function of heart?

The heart pumps blood which carries materials necessary for our organs to function. A human heart contracts nearly 2.5 billion times during an average human life and during this period, 180 million liters of blood are pumped into the vessels. The heart contracts approximately 70 times per minute and at each contraction; it pumps approximately 70 ml of blood.

What is the function of blood?

In order for the organs to stay alive and function properly, they need nutrients and oxygen. The nutrients and oxygen reach our organs through blood. Blood is delivered to the organs through arteries.

Metabolic wastes and Carbon Dioxide occur as a result of the consumption of these nutrients and oxygen by the cells. Again these materials carried by blood, this time by the veins, go back to the heart to collect and clean the blood. Thereafter, the heart pumps the deoxygenated blood to the organs and sends the clean blood that it receives through arteries. This cycle continues uninterruptedly. Like every other organ in the human body, the heart also needs to be fed. The vessels that feed the heart are called “coronary arteries”. The narrowing of the coronary arteries and diseases that occur in these vessels directly impact on the heart’s functioning. Therefore, they have a vital importance.

What are the most common types of diseases seen in the coronary arteries?

The disease most frequently seen and considered to be the most important in the coronary arteries is coronary atherosclerosis. The indication of this disease is from observing the piling up of certain materials - primarily cholesterol- at some parts in the coronary arteries. As a result of such accumulation, narrowing and blockages occur in the arteries.

As a result of this narrowing, the feeding of the heart is impaired. Since the muscle tissue of the heart is not being fed sufficiently, it cannot contract as it should do. Depending on the blockage level, problems start to occur and may result in death. Coronary artery diseases -as anywhere in the world- are amongst the primary reasons for death in adults and causes loss of power in the workforce in our country.