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Physiology of the Normal and Failing Heart

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Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation

Abstract

The muscularized pump that is the adult human heart distributes more than 1900 gallons of blood daily to every organ in the body. The coordinated activity of its chambers, vessels, and valves enables immediate response to constant physiological demands and maintenance of homeostasis. This chapter outlines the physiological response of the normal adult human heart and highlights the adaptations of the failing heart in an attempt to preserve cardiac output. It reviews the anatomy of the heart in detail, including the components of blood supply; innervation and the impact of decreased cardiac output in heart failure patients; the role of cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, smooth muscle, fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix; the role and importance of myoglobin in oxygen transport and generation of ATP; the physiology behind and regulation of contraction and relaxation; and other key factors. Knowing the structure and functioning of both a healthy and a failing human heart is fundamental to understanding how an injury or infarct impacts the heart’s operation and how to best develop a treatment plan. When treating patients with heart failure, this knowledge enables prompt implementation of conventional and emerging therapies that promote reverse remodeling.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 508, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    M. Chadi Alraies MD, FACP

  2. Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical Center, University of Minnesota, 2231 6th Street SE, 4-146 Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Daniel J. Garry MD, PhD

  3. Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 2231 6th Street SE, 4-147 Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Mary G. Garry PhD

Authors
  1. M. Chadi Alraies MD, FACP
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  2. Daniel J. Garry MD, PhD
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  3. Mary G. Garry PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel J. Garry MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Daniel J. Garry

  2. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Robert F. Wilson

  3. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Zeev Vlodaver

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Alraies, M.C., Garry, D.J., Garry, M.G. (2017). Physiology of the Normal and Failing Heart. In: Garry, D., Wilson, R., Vlodaver, Z. (eds) Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44577-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44577-9_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44575-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44577-9

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