Blood Flow Through the Heart

The heart is made up of four chambers, the left and right atria, and the left and right ventricles. “The left and right sides of the heart do not communicate with one another after birth and are separated by a thick interventrical or interatrial septum” (Prater, 2008). The top (atrium) and bottom (ventricle) parts of the heart are separated by a valve, which prevents the backflow of blood. Blood enters the heart through the inferior and superior vena cava carrying deoxygenated blood. The vena cava then empties into the right atrium. When the right ventricle is relaxed, blood flows from the atrium into the right ventricle. The blood is then pushed through the pulmonary semilunar valve into the pulmonary artery where it carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation. The blood then flows back into the heart from the lungs into the left atrium. When the left ventricle is relaxed, the blood proceeds to drain into the left ventricle through the mitral valve. The blood is then forced through the aortic semilunar valve into the aorta where it is then dispensed throughout the body to various arteries (Prater, 2008). Blood pressure is the pressure that is exerted by the blood within the walls of the blood vessels. Receptors called press receptors in the carotid artery and aorta monitor blood pressure and should it drop too low, or raise too high, signals are sent to the part of the brain that controls the heartbeat, and the various places within the body that produce blood. They all begin to work together to correct the problem. Homeostasis can help to regulate blood pressure by hindering organs from exerting too much, which will prevent any disturbance to the metabolism (Flint, 2013)

References
Flint, D. (2013). Homeostasis & blood pressure. eHow. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6067550_homeostasis-blood-pressure.html. Prater, A. (2008, September 1). How blood flows through the heart. Helium. Retrieved July 17, 2013,
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References: Flint, D. (2013). Homeostasis & blood pressure. eHow. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6067550_homeostasis-blood-pressure.html. Prater, A. (2008, September 1). How blood flows through the heart. Helium. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from http://www.helium.com/items/1167536-how-the-heart-pumps-blood