The Heartbeat and Circulation
Your heartbeat is myogenic, meaning it originates within the heart itself, not from external nerve signals. The process starts at the sinoatrial (SA) node, your heart's natural pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses that trigger contractions. This signal travels to the atrioventricular (AV) node, down the bundle of His, and through Purkinje fibers, creating the coordinated pumping action.
Each heartbeat follows a cardiac cycle of systole (contraction) and diastole (relaxation). During systole, ventricles contract and push blood out through arteries. During diastole, the heart relaxes and fills with returning blood. These alternating phases create the familiar "lub-dub" heart sounds you hear through a stethoscope.
Your heart rate can be regulated by both nerve signals and hormones. Noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves and adrenaline from adrenal glands increase heart rate during stress or exercise. Conversely, acetylcholine from parasympathetic nerves slows your heart rate during rest.
Important! Blood pressure is measured as systolic/diastolic like120/80. The first number represents pressure during heart contraction, while the second shows pressure during heart relaxation. Understanding these numbers helps you monitor your cardiovascular health.