Having heart (hard) time studying the heart

[mandykal, ADN, RN]

Anyone know a good way to better understand it? or what should be more reasonable and simple to study first. School doesn't start for me until Sept '04, I'm trying to advance myself with studies.

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"Positive things happen for those who think ahead."

[JohnnyGage]

What parts are you having trouble understanding?

[abundantjoy07, RN]

the heart is awesome!!!

how i learned about the heart

1. get color pictures of different views or aspects of the heart with names of parts written out on the page. you can either learn from the inside out or from the outside in. the pics below are some examples of what i mean...

2. memorize the structures first and then learn what each part does or is responsible for.

3. learn how blood travels through the heart (the direction and what pushes it along) and body. learn about arteries vs veins. basically the cardio. system can be thought of as one big "circle". there's not many steps in learning this.

i think the most important thing is just getting pictures of the different planes of the heart. also a good anatomy and physiology book will help too. there's also lots of interactive anatomy sites on the web.

[All_Smiles_RN]

I agree, learn the blood flow through the heart. That's how I first studied it and it came "easier " (if you can call it that) to me after knowing that. I'm sure you know the heart has 4 chambers, 2 atriums and 2 ventricles. There are valves leading into each. I'll help get you started on the blood path:

Blood comes into the heart from the vena cava:

1. to the right atrium

2. passes thru the tricuspid valve

3. enters the right ventricle

4. passes thru the semilunar valve

5. enters the pulmonary artery (goes to the lungs for oxygen then comes back)

6. enters the pulmonary veins

7. enters the left atrium

8. passes thru the mitral valve

9. enters the left ventricle

10. passes thru the semilunar valve

11. enters the aorta (and then distributed to the rest of the body)

Once you can identify this, you have the basics and can work on expanding your knowledge from there. Good luck!

...Jennifer...

[All_Smiles_RN]

I agree, learn the blood flow through the heart. That's how I first studied it and it came "easier " (if you can call it that) to me after knowing that. I'm sure you know the heart has 4 chambers, 2 atriums and 2 ventricles. There are valves leading into each. I'll help get you started on the blood path:

Blood comes into the heart from the vena cava:

1. to the right atrium

2. passes thru the tricuspid valve

3. enters the right ventricle

4. passes thru the semilunar valve

5. enters the pulmonary artery (goes to the lungs for oxygen then comes back)

6. enters the pulmonary veins

7. enters the left atrium

8. passes thru the mitral valve

9. enters the left ventricle

10. passes thru the semilunar valve

11. enters the aorta (and then distributed to the rest of the body)

Once you can identify this, you have the basics and can work on expanding your knowledge from there. Good luck!

...Jennifer...