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36 Interesting Facts About The Human Heart

ejr13 — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:48:30 +0000

The average adult heart beats 72 times a minute; 100,000 times a day; 3,600,000 times a year; and 2.5 billion times during a lifetime.^f
Though weighing only 11 ounces on average, a healthy heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels each day.^c
A kitchen faucet would need to be turned on all the way for at least 45 years to equal the amount of blood pumped by the heart in an average lifetime.^a
The volume of blood pumped by the heart can vary over a wide range, from five to 30 liters per minute.^e
Every day, the heart creates enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles. In a lifetime, that is equivalent to driving to the moon and back.^a
Because the heart has its own electrical impulse, it can continue to beat even when separated from the body, as long as it has an adequate supply of oxygen.^c
The fetal heart rate is approximately twice as fast as an adult’s, at about 150 beats per minute. By the time a fetus is 12 weeks old, its heart pumps an amazing 60 pints of blood a day.^g
The heart pumps blood to almost all of the body’s 75 trillion cells. Only the corneas receive no blood supply.
During an average lifetime, the heart will pump nearly 1.5 million gallons of blood—enough to fill 200 train tank cars.^a
Five percent of blood supplies the heart, 15-20% goes to the brain and central nervous system, and 22% goes to the kidneys.^a
The “thump-thump” of a heartbeat is the sound made by the four valves of the heart closing.^a
The heart does the most physical work of any muscle during a lifetime. The power output of the heart ranges from 1-5 watts. While the quadriceps can produce 100 watts for a few minutes, an output of one watt for 80 years is equal to 2.5 gigajoules.^a
The heart begins beating at four weeks after conception and does not stop until death.^g
A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in circulation. An adult human has about four to five quarts which the heart pumps to all the tissues and to and from the lungs in about one minute while beating 75 times.^g
The heart pumps oxygenated blood through the aorta (the largest artery) at about 1 mile (1.6 km) per hour. By the time blood reaches the capillaries, it is moving at around 43 inches (109 cm) per hour.^g
Early Egyptians believed that the heart and other major organs had wills of their own and would move around inside the body.^d
An anonymous contributor to the Hippocratic Collection (or Canon) believed vessel valves kept impurities out of the heart, since the intelligence of man was believed to lie in the left cavity.^f
Plato theorized that reasoning originated with the brain, but that passions originated in the “fiery” heart.^f
The term “heartfelt” originated from Aristotle’s philosophy that the heart collected sensory input from the peripheral organs through the blood vessels. It was from those perceptions that thought and emotions arose.^f
Prolonged lack of sleep can cause irregular jumping heartbeats called premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).^b
Some heavy snorers may have a condition called obtrusive sleep apnea (OSA), which can negatively affect the heart.^b
Cocaine affects the heart’s electrical activity and causes spasm of the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke, even in healthy people.^a
Galen of Pergamum, a prominent surgeon to Roman gladiators, demonstrated that blood, not air, filled arteries, as Hippocrates had concluded. However, he also believed that the heart acted as a low-temperature oven to keep the blood warm and that blood trickled from one side of the heart to other through tiny holes in the heart.^f
Galen agreed with Aristotle that the heart was the body’s source of heat, a type of “lamp” fueled by blood from the liver and fanned into spirituous flame by air from the lungs. The brain merely served to cool the blood.^f
In 1929, German surgeon Werner Forssmann (1904-1979) examined the inside of his own heart by threading a catheter into his arm vein and pushed it 20 inches and into his heart, inventing cardiac catheterization, a now common procedure.^f
On December 3, 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001) of South Africa transplanted a human heart into the body of Louis Washansky. Although the recipient lived only 18 days, it is considered the first successful heart transplant.^e
“Atrium” is Latin for “entrance hall,” and “ventricle” is Latin for “little belly.”^a
A woman’s heart typically beats faster than a man’s. The heart of an average man beats approximately 70 times a minute, whereas the average woman has a heart rate of 78 per minute.^b
Blood is actually a tissue. When the body is at rest, it takes only six seconds for the blood to go from the heart to the lungs and back, only eight seconds for it to go the brain and back, and only 16 seconds for it to reach the toes and travel all the way back to the heart.^c
French physician Rene Laennec (1781-1826) invented the stethoscope when he felt it was inappropriate to place his ear on his large-buxomed female patients’ chests.^f
Physician Erasistratus of Chios (304-250 B.C.) was the first to discover that the heart functioned as a natural pump.^f
In his text De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem, the father of modern anatomy, Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), argued that the blood seeped from one ventricle to another through mysterious pores.^f
Galen argued that the heart constantly produced blood. However, William Harvey’s (1578-1657) discovery of the circulation system in 1616 revealed that there was a finite amount of blood in the body and that it circulated in one direction.^f
The right atrium holds about 3.5 tablespoons of blood. The right ventricle holds slightly more than a quarter cup of blood. The left atrium holds the same amount of blood as the right, but its walls are three times thicker.^g
Grab a tennis ball and squeeze it tightly: that’s how hard the beating heart works to pump blood.^a
In 1903, physiologist Willem Einthoven (1860-1927) invented the electrocardiograph, which measures electric current in the heart.^e

– Posted January 28, 2010

References

^a Avraham, Regina. 2000. The Circulatory System. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House Publishers.

^b Chilnick, Lawrence. 2008. Heart Disease: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. Philadelphia, PA: Perseus Books Group.

^c Daniels, Patricia, et. al. 2007. Body: The Complete Human. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

^d Davis, Goode P., et. al. 1981. The Heart: The Living Pump. Washington D.C.: U.S. News Books.

^e The Heart and Circulatory System. 2000. Pleasantville, NY: The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

^f Parramon’s Editorial Team. 2005. Essential Atlas of Physiology. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

^g Tsiaras, Alexander. 2005. The InVision Guide to a Healthy Heart. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Heart Attack & Cycling Forum Discussions

ejr13 — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:40:52 +0000

Decided I should post links to heart attack and cycling disscussions I come across, here is the first one.

01.27.11 Just found this on on bikeradar forum http://tiny.cc/g373h

Can Athletic Drama Cause A Heart Attack?

ejr13 — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 05:49:25 +0000

“Could excitement – even a good kind of excitement – give you a heart attack? The answer, some cardiologists say, is yes.”

“Here’s what happens when you’re under stress, whether it’s good or bad. Your body releases hormones called catecholamines, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.”

Full article @ CNN Health

I Think I Had A Heart Attack 6 Years Ago?

ejr13 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:22:06 +0000

I have never been good with dates of important occasions. As I get older (45 next month) what year something happened to me is far less accurate than my Garmin is at knowing how many calories I have burned.

I know it was August that I had my 2 heart attacks (within 12 hours). But a few years ago I had forgotten the day and I think it was in 2007 sometime that I stopped recalling the year it happened also. The only way I know it was 6 years ago is I have to repeat to anyone at least 3 times who hears my story that “Yes, I was 39″ So since I’l be 45 next month this month is my 6 year anniversary of being alive. My wife just came in and said “What are you talking about? You were 36, not 39″. OK so it was 9 years ago. Proof I just can’t rememebr or do I choose not to? I still have my stent ID card that tells me the date of my first stent(of which I have 7, stents not cards) but I keep that in a drawer somewhere and choose not to look at it. Each year around June I think “Oh I’m going to celebrate the anniversary of my heart attack by riding a century or a 200 mile week or a 10,000′ day of climbing” none of that ever happens.

While I still plan to do something(?) someday(?) to mark the occasion with a post cardiac feat of super human strength I think to my self- ” Isn’t being here everyday to see my family and friends a daily celebration better than any ride I could do?”

I was wondering how anyone else celebrates or doesn’t their cardiac “event”.

KEEPriding- Eric

Arguments Continue Over the Metabolic Syndrome “Label”

ejr13 — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:18:16 +0000

Excerpt from theheart.org article.(an excellent website and cardiac news source which I highly recommend joining their newsletter)

New York, NY – Years after the term metabolic syndrome was first coined, controversy continues over the validity of naming and treating this clustering of certain risk factors as a separate condition. While different organizations use different definitions, metabolic syndrome is generally defined as having any three of the following: increased waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, or elevated fasting glucose.

But for almost as long as the metabolic syndrome has been around, disagreement over its relevance has pitted some of the diabetes community against some of those in cardiology. This came to a head in 2005 when the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) issued a statement discouraging the use of the term metabolic syndrome, and then just a few weeks later, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) released their own statement encouraging use of the metabolic-syndrome concept. Five years later, it appears that little has changed, with arguments still raging over whether there is any point in identifying and labeling individuals with this clustering of risk factors.

Full article link here http://www.theheart.org/article/1106159.do

How Exercise Effects Metabolites and Genes in Your Bloodstream

ejr13 — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:41:19 +0000

Great article on how exercise, as little as just 10 min., “Almost immediately, the metabolites, in combination (but not individually) ignited a reaction that resulted in increased expression of a gene involved in cholesterol and blood-sugar regulation. In other words, the metabolites weren’t just marking activity that was happening elsewhere in the body; they also may have been sparking some of that activity directly.”

“…after 10 minutes of treadmill jogging or stationary-bicycle riding, the healthy adults showed enormous changes in the metabolites within their bloodstream”

But more importantly than how little exercise one has to do to effect change -scientists are starting to understand more about how exercise effects the bloodstream and how that relates to heart disease.

Link to complete NY Times Article.

Rider site regarding VT and ARVD/C

ejr13 — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:11:45 +0000

Just got this post from Craig who was responding to another rider story(http://heartattackrider.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/anyone-with-arrhythmogenic-right-ventricular-dysplasi-rvd-who-rides-a-bike/#comments). Here is what Craig says on his site “My name is Craig Cook. In March of 2008 I was diagnosed with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia, a potentially fatal heart arrhythmia. I was fit and healthy, having spent a good part of my adult life as an elite cyclist, much of it racing in Europe. This blog is about my condition, the things that might have led to it, and the course of treatment I am on. It is written as a resource for other endurance athletes who might have arrhythmias.”

Thanks for the post Craig and posting about your health experiences.

Hi Eric,

Strange we haven’t crossed each other’s path in the blogosphere. My (very un-updated blog) discusses my adventures with VT and a non-genetic form of ARVD/C… you and your readers may be interested. I will update soon, currently in my final weeks in grad school, then freedom, and time. I still train – 8-10hrs a week, no competition until some issues get figured 0ut (occassional VT = zaps by the ICD)… http://v-tach.blogspot.com/ Nice effort on your blog, keep up the good work.

Best, Craig

http://v-tach.blogspot.com

Why I Check my Oxygen Levels When I Ride

ejr13 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:26:50 +0000

I have been trying to get ready for a the Avenue of the Oaks Century on May 1 and my training has been inconsistent at best….insert excuses here. Today I was able to spend 2 hours on a ride and I wanted to push a bit harder that normal.

SInce I no longer go to cardiac rehab. I try to mirror what the “maintenance” program I was on did when it comes to protocol. Each time I went to rehab the workout started with the following:

Weigh myself.
Relax and sit in a chair (of my own choice I closed my eyes and relaxed my whole body durigng the next steps).
They would hook up the blood pressure cuff, and oxygen monitor.
Then take the reading for my BP, resting HR & Oxygen level.

I do my best to do all of the above things before I do any type of workout or riding (I’m in the market for a new blood pressure monitor as the electric one I had been using was not accurate when I brought with me to an appointment with my doctor and compared it with hers). Now during the cardiac rehab sessions they would check my oxygen levels 2-3 times, more if I was trying something new or pushing up a level of intensity. At home I only check it before I workout and occasionally after my cool down and when I push myself (now getting to the point of this entry) like I did today. Since I was heading out to ride twice as long as had I the past weeks I decided to take my Nonin Onyx Fingertip Oximeter with me to check throughout my ride. I want to point out at this point that this is same monitor 1 of my doctors uses, and 2 of my rehabs use so that is how I qualified it’s purchase. (one other point it is a nice way to check the accuracy of my heart rate monitor as well).

Today I used at the first sign of feeling like the ride should have been a bit easier and I didn’t believe my HRM, it was correct the oximeter read 138bpm and 98%O2. The next time was after a moderate climb and I hit 164 bpm (my doc say to stay under 160) Oximeter read 161bpm ( it took a few seconds to stop and put it on my finger) and 96% O2. It is also a good thing to have when I’m sucking wind and I can be sure it’s just from being out of shape vs a true loss of O2. I used it one more time when I started to feel tired and then after my cool down. I probably won’t bring it with me on a ride again until I do the century on May 1.

It is a useful tool to have if you work out on your own. It provides me with 2 things, 1: Ability to let me doctor know more information about my health & 2. Oxygen content of your blood is only a small factor when determining your risk for a cardiac event but it does provide me with a bit of assurance that my heart is doing O.K.

KEEPriding,

Eric

Atenolol & Riding Articles

ejr13 — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:51:37 +0000

Below are links to reader questions & forum topics regarding riding after a heart attack and/or while taking Atenolol, Hypertension or Blood Pressure medications.

“Heart Rate Monitors and Heart Attacks” (reader takes Atenolol) • cycling.co.uk

“Anyone Taking Atenolol for High Blood Pressure?” Bikeforums.com

“Hypertension / Blood Pressure Medications? If you’re taking what’s yours?” Bike Forums.com

Beta Blockers Q & A indoorcycleinstructor.com

This will be and ongoing process, if you know of any others please fee free to contact me.

A New way of Life. Readers Story-

ejr13 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:36:22 +0000

Just ran across your site. I really enjoyed reading your posts.

I’m 47 years old, mostly healthy, though out of shape. Saw the doc for a physical 5 months ago. Immediately was put on cholesterol and BP meds. 4 months later my blood pressure and cholesterol numbers were good and I had lost 15 lbs. Then I had my heart attack. I had it during my first visit to a gym while working with a trainer. A clot broke loose and I had an immediate 100% blockage of the circumflex artery.

I’m 4 weeks past that. Just been released for Cardiac Rehab. A strange thing happened during my stress test prior to release to rehab. I realized that I loved the exercise! They got my heart rate up to 150 bpm, and I loved every moment. This was probably because I’d been wondering if I was always going to be physically limited. I want to turn this new feeling into a new way of life.

I’m looking for ways to increase my fitness, especially after I’m done with rehab.

While Googling “bicycling after a heart attack”, I found your site. It really gave me a lift. It’s great reading about someone who has had cardiac issues, but still loves to ride.

You’ve given me inspiration to stay on track, increase my fitness, and above all, get back on a bike!

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Tim