Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Left heart
Introduction
Left heart is a term used to refer collectively to the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart; occasionally, this term is intended to reference the left atrium, left ventricle, and the aorta collectively.
The left atrium receives oxygenated pulmonic blood from the pulmonary veins. The blood is then pumped through the mitral valve into the left ventricle, which in turn pumps the blood through the aortic valve into the aorta.
The left side of the heart is thicker than the right because of the requirement to pump blood from the left throughout the body, as opposed to the right side pumping only through the lungs.
See also: Right heart
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]