Normal Heartbeat

Normal heartbeat is what everyone wants. But, what is a normal heartbeat? How do you measure a normal heartbeat? The heart is a large muscle. The heart's main function is to circulate or pump blood through the body. When the heart does a good job, you have a normal heartbeat. When the heart disfunctions, you have an abnormal or irregular heartbeat.

How the heart works and how a normal heartbeat is produced

The heart contracts the two upper chambers of the heart (called the atria) and the two lower chambers of the heart (called the ventricles). These contractions by the heart must be coordinated to result in regular heartbeat or heart rhythms. This regular heartbeat is what we call normal heartbeat. This normal heartbeat is necessary to avoid heart abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation.

How a normal heartbeat works

A normal heartbeat comprises of two contractions in quick succession.

• First, the atria receive blood returning to the heart. The atria then pump that bloodstream into the ventricles.
• Second, the ventricles receiving blood from the atria, pump blood out of the heart.

The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs to take up fresh oxygen. The left ventricle pumps blood out into the circulatory system of the body. The body circulatory system delivers oxygen and red arterial blood from the heart to the body. This blood is full of nutrients. After the body has used up the nutrients in the blood, the blood is then returned, depleted and blue, to the heart.

What is a normal heartbeat ?

A normal heartbeat and heart rhythm is 60-100 times per minute. If the heart beats more then 100 times in one minute, the normal heartbeat becomes faster and the heart rate is considered fast. Similarly, if the heart beats less than 60 times in one minute, the normal heartbeat slows.

• The heartbeat