The heart is a unique organ of the body that has components of both muscle and tissue. As a component of the cardiovascular system, its job is to pump blood to the cells and tissues of the body.
Did you know that your heart can continue to beat even if it is not in your body? Discover 7 fascinating facts about your heart.
1. Your heart beats around 100,000 times in a year
In young adults, the heart beats between 70 (at rest) and 200 (heavy exercise) times per minute. In one year, the heart beats around 100,000 times. In 70 years, your heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.
2. Your heart pumps about 1.3 gallons of blood in one minute
When at rest, the heart can pump approximately 1.3 gallons of blood per minute. Blood circulates through the entire system of blood vessels in only 20 seconds. In a day, the heart pumps around 2,000 gallons of blood through thousands of miles of blood vessels.
3. Your heart starts beating between 3 and 4 weeks after conception
The human heart starts to beat a few weeks after fertilisation takes place. At 4 weeks, the heart beats between 105 and 120 times per minute.
4. Heart sounds are made by heart valves
The heart beats as a result of cardiac conduction, which is the generation of electrical impulses that cause the heart to contract. As the atria and ventricles contract, the closing of the heart valves produces the sounds.
5. Your heart can still beat apart from your body
Unlike other muscles, heart contractions are not regulated by the brain. Electrical impulses generated by heart nodes cause your heart to beat. As long as it has enough energy and oxygen, your heart will continue to beat even outside of your body.
6. About 20% of cardiac output goes to the kidneys and 15% to the brain
About 20% of blood flow goes to the kidneys. The kidneys filter toxins from the blood which are excreted in urine. They filter about 200 quarts of blood per day. Consistent blood flow to the brain is necessary for survival. If blood flow is interrupted, brain cells can die within a matter of minutes. The heart itself receives about 5% of cardiac output through the coronary arteries.
7. A low cardiac index is linked to brain aging
The amount of blood pumped by the heart is linked to brain aging. People who have a low cardiac index have a smaller brain volume than those with a high cardiac index. Cardiac index is the measure of the amount of blood that pumps from the heart in relation to a person’s body size.
As we get older, our brain shrinks in size normally. According to a Boston University study, those with low cardiac indexes have almost two years more brain aging than those with high cardiac indexes.
Source: about.com
