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Blood flows through your heart, lungs and body in a series of steps. After delivering oxygen and nutrients to all your organs and tissues, your blood enters your heart and flows to your lungs to gain oxygen and get rid of waste.
Your heart’s main function is to move blood throughout your body. Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your cells. It also takes away carbon dioxide and other waste so other organs can dispose of them. Your heart also: Controls the rhythm and speed of your heart rate. Maintains your blood pressure.
Blood circulates through your heart and through these circuits in a continuous pattern: The pulmonary circuit: This circuit carries blood without oxygen from the heart to the lungs. The pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood to the heart.
The four heart chambers and four valves work together to separate the oxygen-rich blood from the oxygen-poor blood. When healthy, the structure of your chambers and valves allows blood to flow in the right direction.
Your heart contains four valves that open and close to control the flow of blood through it. The valves can become damaged by age, infection or other chronic conditions, and some people are born with heart valve defects.
The great vessels of the heart are major blood vessels that connect directly to your heart. These arteries and veins circulate blood between your heart and lungs, and between your heart and the rest of your body.
Your heart (cardiac) conduction system sends the signal to start a heartbeat. It also sends signals that tell different parts of your heart to relax and contract (squeeze). This process of contracting and relaxing controls blood flow through your heart and to the rest of your body.
Your circulatory system, or cardiovascular system, supplies oxygen and nutrients to your whole body and removes waste through your blood. Your heart pumps blood that flows through your arteries, veins and capillaries. These blood vessels and your heart form your circulatory system.
How does blood flow through your body? Here’s how blood flows through your body: Veins bring blood to the right side of your heart. Pulmonary arteries carry the blood to your lungs, where it receives oxygen. Pulmonary veins move the blood oxygen-rich blood to the left side of your heart.
Your aortic valve opens to let blood flow from your left ventricle to your aorta. It closes to prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction. The closed valve keeps blood from leaking from your aorta back into your heart.