Arteries (in red) carry oxygen rich blood from the left side of the heart to the tissues and organs. After oxygen leaves the blood and moves into the tissues, the level of oxygen in the blood becomes low. The veins (in blue) carry blood that has a low level of oxygen back to the right side of the heart.

It pumps blood continuously through the circulatory system. Each day the average heart “beats” (expands and contracts) 100,000 times and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood. In a 70-year lifetime, an average human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times.

The heart is at the center of your circulatory system, which is a network of blood vessels that delivers blood to every part of your body. Blood carries oxygen and other important nutrients that all body organs need to stay healthy and to work properly.

blood vessels: Blood moves through many tubes called arteries and veins, which together are called blood vessels. The blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart are called arteries. The ones that carry blood back to the heart are called veins.

Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood back to the heart. The circulatory system carries oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to cells, and removes waste products, like carbon dioxide.

Blood with fresh oxygen is carried from your lungs to the left side of your heart, which pumps blood around your body through the arteries. Blood without oxygen returns through the veins, to the right side of your heart.

Although there have been recent improvements in congestive heart failure treatment, researchers say the prognosis for people with the disease is still bleak, with about 50% having an average life expectancy of less than five years. For those with advanced forms of heart failure, nearly 90% die within one year.

Huge challenges are faced by children born with ‘half a heart’—a condition known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The syndrome is a rare inherited disorder in which the left half of the heart is undersized and cannot perform its function of pumping blood to the body. Without surgery, it is fatal.

Chest pain on the left side is typically associated with a heart attack. If you feel any pain on your right side, it’s most likely not related to your heart. But you should still seek immediate medical attention if you: have unexplained and unexpected severe chest pain.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.