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The Pathway of Blood


Here’s a great illustration on the pathway of blood flow through the heart. It may seem easy...but you should know this cold as well as the cardiac anatomy, both of which will make procedures and understanding hemodynamics easier. .

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💙VENOUS BLOOD- Blood flows into the heart (into the right atrium) through two major veins (the superior and inferior vena cava) as well as from the coronary sinus (cardiac venous blood from the coronaries) and then out through the first AV valve (tricuspid valve) into the right ventricle. From there blood flows into the right ventricular outflow tract, across the first semilunar valve (pulmonic valve) and into the main and then left and right pulmonary arteries. Blood then enters the lungs to become oxygenated. .
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❤️ARTERIAL BLOOD- now that blood is oxygenated flow goes from the lungs into the left atrium through 4 veins (usually) called the pulmonary veins. From the left atrium blood flows across the other AV valve (mitral valve) and into the left ventricle. Blood then flows out the left ventricular outflow tract and across the second semilunar valve (aortic valve) into the aorta to the rest of the body. .
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📚It’s an easy system to remember if you know the cardiac anatomy. Once you know the normal flow you will begin to understand the abnormal flows that occur with disease states (valvular heart disease) and anatomical abnormalities (congenital heart disease). .
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Learn more about cardiology by professional Atrial Fibrillation and cardiology specialist - Dr Boon Lim

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