What you need to know
What is this blog for?
This blog was built to bring scientific concepts to the general public. More specifically, this blog centers on the ageing heart. We will be introducing what an ageing heart is, why it is important to learn about it, dispel some myths, and more!
Why is learning about the ageing heart important?
Everyone ages, and when you age, your heart changes as well! These changes could possibly increase your risk of developing cardiovascular, or heart-related, diseases. (Find out more: Is this irreversible?, Is there a way we can manage this risk?)
Learning about the ageing heart early and accurately (Start learning now!) can help you make more informed lifestyle choices and seek medical attention early! Hmmm, does no symptom mean no heart disease? (Find out here)
But I am not anywhere near 65 years old, and above, so why should I care? Ageing population! The old-age support ratio (ratio of people aged 23 to 64 years old, to those aged 65 and above) was 4.3, in 2020 (Department of Statistics, Singapore). Learning about the ageing heart prepares you for the future, be it explaining to those around you about how their heart is changing or personally caring for one with an aged heart (By the way, is your heart the same age as your actual age?). Not to mention that one day, you will grow old 😏😏😏.
Before we jump into learning about ageing of the heart, lets learn about the heart itself!
The Heart
A heart has 4 chambers - the left and right atria, and the left and right ventricles.
The right chambers receive blood back from the rest of the body and pump the oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. The left chambers take oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pump that to the rest of the body. Some of the oxygen-rich blood that leaves the heart, returns back to the heart to supply oxygen to the heart muscle itself, through what is known as “coronary arteries”.
Image credits: Healthwise
Understanding Blood Vessels:
Blood vessels (comprising arteries, veins, and capillaries) are what connect our heart to the rest of the body.
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Veins carry blood poor in oxygen, from the body to the heart.
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Arteries carry blood rich in oxygen, away from the heart to the body. Coronary arteries are exceptions, where they carry oxygen-rich blood to supply oxygen to the heart muscle itself.
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Capillaries are the smallest branches of blood vessels connecting between the arteries and veins. Hence this is where the exchange of materials like oxygen and nutrients takes place.
Image credits: Healthwise
Adapted from encyclopedia Britanicca, Inc
An Analogy to Understand the Heart Better:
A heart is like a post office where different parcels arrive before they are sent out again. The different types of parcels - the oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood - are dispatched through our postmen - the arteries and veins. Our coronary arteries then act like special postmen who supply oxygenated blood back to the heart cells and our capillaries act like mailboxes where the exchange of mail takes place.
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Images depicting analogy.