The Human Heart — Laminated Double-Sided A4 Reference Card

Understand the human heart completely with this detailed double-sided A4 laminated reference card from Blue Tree Publishing. Richly illustrated and written in clear plain language, this card covers everything from blood flow and electrical signals to heart attack warning signs and healthy heart habits — making it an essential resource for cardiology clinics, cardiac rehabilitation programs, medical and nursing students, and anyone wanting to better understand their heart health.

Side 1 — Blood Flow, Electrical System & Heart Conditions

Blood Flow Pathway

• Complete 12-step illustrated blood flow pathway through the heart
• Body returns oxygen-depleted blood → enters right atrium via vena cava → through tricuspid valve → into right ventricle → through pulmonary valve → lungs oxygenate blood → returns via pulmonary veins → enters left atrium → through mitral valve → into left ventricle → through aortic valve to aorta → oxygenated blood to entire body
• Red = oxygenated blood, Blue = deoxygenated blood clearly illustrated

Electrical Conduction System

• Complete illustrated electrical conduction system of the heart
• SA Node — located in right atrium, fires electrical signal, sets heart rate 60-100 bpm
• AV Node — receives signal from SA node, briefly delays it to allow atria to contract first
• Bundle of His — carries signal down the interventricular septum to the ventricles
• Purkinje Fibers — spread signal throughout ventricle walls causing simultaneous contraction
• Normal ECG (electrocardiogram) wave illustrated — P, Q, R, S, T waves labeled
• Key fact: the heart generates its own electrical impulses and beats independently of the brain

Heart Attack

• Illustrated coronary artery blockage — normal blood flow vs plaque narrowing lumen vs blocked
• How a coronary artery becomes blocked, cutting off blood supply to heart muscle
• Tissue begins to die within minutes — time is critical, every minute matters
• Key symptoms — chest pain, left arm pain, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea

Valve Disease

• Normal aortic valve vs aortic valve stenosis illustrated — open and closed positions
• Heart valves can become narrowed (stenosis) or leaky (regurgitation)
• Both force the heart to work harder leading to fatigue and eventually heart failure
• Key symptoms — fatigue, shortness of breath, heart murmur, swollen ankles

Heart Failure

• Normal heart vs enlarged heart failure illustration
• Heart muscle weakens and cannot pump blood effectively
• Heart enlarges as it struggles to compensate — not the same as cardiac arrest
• Key symptoms — fatigue, breathlessness, fluid retention, reduced exercise tolerance

Arrhythmia

• Normal rhythm vs irregular rhythm ECG illustrated
• Abnormal heart rhythm caused by problems with the electrical conduction system
• Can be too fast, too slow, or irregular
• Key symptoms — palpitations, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath

Heart Attack Warning Signs — Call 911 Immediately

• Chest pain or pressure — feeling of tightness, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the centre or left of chest
• Left arm or jaw pain — chest pain or discomfort spreading to shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw
• Shortness of breath — difficulty breathing with or without chest discomfort
• Cold sweats — breaking out in a cold sweat for no apparent reason
• Nausea or vomiting — feeling sick to your stomach, more common in women
• Sudden dizziness — lightheadedness or sudden loss of balance or coordination
• Extreme fatigue — unusual or unexplained fatigue especially in women, days before attack
• Women may experience — more subtle symptoms including jaw pain, nausea, back pain without chest pain

Keeping Your Heart Healthy

• Exercise — at least 150 minutes moderate exercise per week, walking, swimming, cycling
• Diet — Mediterranean diet reduces heart disease risk by up to 30%
• Smoking — quitting smoking halves your heart attack risk within one year
• Alcohol — keep to recommended limits, excess raises blood pressure significantly
• Stress — chronic stress raises blood pressure and inflammation, manage actively
• Sleep — 7-9 hours per night, poor sleep increases heart disease risk
• BP Check — check blood pressure regularly, hypertension often has no symptoms
• Weight — even small weight loss significantly reduces strain on the heart

Side 2 — Heart Anatomy, Blood Pressure & Heart Rate

Heart — Front View

• Complete anterior heart anatomy — superior vena cava, aortic arch, right atrium, left atrium, right pulmonary artery, left pulmonary artery, right pulmonary veins, left pulmonary veins, right coronary artery, left coronary artery, inferior vena cava, right ventricle, left ventricle

Heart — Posterior View

• Complete posterior heart anatomy — aortic arch, superior vena cava, left pulmonary artery, right pulmonary artery, left pulmonary veins, right pulmonary veins, left atrium, right atrium, circumflex artery, inferior vena cava, coronary sinus, right ventricle, left ventricle

Heart — Cross Section

• Detailed internal anatomy — superior vena cava, ascending aorta, aorta, right pulmonary artery, left pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, right atrium, left atrium, tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve, aortic valve, right ventricle, left ventricle, myocardium, interventricular septum, inferior vena cava

Time is Critical Box

• In a heart attack every minute without treatment equals more heart muscle dies
• Act fast — call 911 now — do not drive yourself
• Chew aspirin 325mg if not allergic

Blood Pressure Gauge — 120/80 mmHg

• Illustrated blood pressure gauge showing systolic (120 — heart contracting) and diastolic (80 — heart resting)
• Normal — 90-119/60-79
• Elevated — 120-129
• High — 130+
• Crisis — 180+

Pulse & Heart Rate Guide

• How to take your pulse — two fingers on radial artery below thumb, count beats for 60 seconds
• Heart rate reference table:
• Athlete — very fit, trained heart — 40-60 bpm
• Normal adult — healthy resting range — 60-100 bpm
• Child 6-15 years — normal for growing bodies — 70-100 bpm
• During exercise — 220 minus your age = max
• Concerning — below 40 or above 120, consult your doctor

Fast Facts

• Approximately 100,000 heartbeats per day
• Approximately 2,000 gallons of blood pumped daily
• Size of your fist
• #1 cause of death worldwide
• 80% of heart disease is preventable
• Left ventricle wall is 3x thicker than the right ventricle

The wipe-clean laminated surface withstands repeated handling and is easy to sanitize — perfect for cardiology clinics, cardiac rehabilitation programs, and patient education settings.

For educational purposes only. Not a substitute for professional medical advice.