Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

Cardiovascular Emergencies, CPR and AED

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Anatomy and Physiology of the Heart The heart pumps oxygenated blood to the tissues of the body and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs. To carry out this job, the heart itself requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. The heart is divided down the middle by a septum into a left and right side. Each side has two parts, an upper chamber to receive incoming blood, called an atrium, and a lower chamber, called a ventricle, to pump blood out. These chambers are connected by one way valves that only allow the blood to move in the proper direction. The aorta is the main artery of the body. It receives blood from the left ventricle and carries it to the other arteries of the body.

First Aider in Action: Part 1 You are sitting in a restaurant with friends when a commotion occurs at one of the other tables. A woman is calling for someone to help her companion, a man, who is sitting slumped in his chair, grimacing and clutching his chest.

What is the function of the heart? What does the heart require to function properly?

What should you include in your primary assessment of a patient with heart problems?

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