The heart muscles form a part of the heart. It performs an important function. Certain diseases can affect the task of the musculature. Serious consequences result when disorders and symptoms occur. Therefore, medical attention should be sought promptly if a disease is suspected.
What is the heart muscle?
Cardiac musculature is a specific form of muscle that occurs only in the region of the heart. In this, it forms a large part of the wall of the human heart. The muscles are not voluntary muscles. While these are influenced and moved by one’s own will, the heart muscle works without requiring the owner’s attention. Instead, the heart muscle permanently and without noticeable effort ensures that blood is pumped through the body. The decisive factor for this function is the contractions. The heart muscle thus performs vital tasks. As soon as the heart is no longer able to pump blood through the veins in a sufficient manner, serious complications arise. Such a condition can lead to the death of the affected person. At the same time, the number of heartbeats provides information about the patient’s health and physical condition. For example, a high pulse is common in certain diseases. In addition, the muscle is subjected to increased strain during physical exertion. The heart muscle is responsible for ensuring that enough oxygen reaches the cells in any situation.
Anatomy and structure
The cardiac muscle is differentiated from the smooth as well as striated muscles. At the same time, however, it has properties that are found in both. Thus, the cardiac muscle represents a special form. Its structure is reminiscent of the striated musculature found in skeletal muscles. The individual building blocks represent elements that are progressively reduced in size. A large number of muscle fibers bundle together to form the muscle. The muscle, like the individual fibers, is surrounded by a protective sheath, the membrane. Proteins are found in the smallest elements of the muscle. Only through the existence of proteins is it possible for the muscle to contract. The proteins actin and myosin are responsible for contraction. These are located in a specific structure that creates a transverse striation when viewed with special instruments. In addition, the tubule system resembles transverse striated muscles. These are spaces in the cytoplasm where calcium is stored. These are very important for the contraction of the muscle. Only in this way is it possible for the muscle to contract quickly and powerfully. However, the heart muscle also resembles smooth muscle. This becomes clear when looking at the individual cells. Unlike striated muscle, each cell has a nucleus. Skeletal muscle, on the other hand, has cells that sometimes contain hundreds of nuclei.
Function and tasks
The heart muscle has one main function: to pump blood around the body, supplying oxygen to every cell. Without the work of the muscles, life would not be possible. The contraction takes place on the basis of a specific impulse conduction system. This involves in particular certain cells, the pacemaker cells. These can discharge spontaneously and also occur in this form in smooth muscle. Initially, the process begins with the primary pacemaker, the sinus node. The task of the sinus node is to prescribe the heart rate. In a healthy person, this is about 60 to 80 beats within one minute. From the sinus node, excitation reaches the muscles of the atria. These contract and pass the contraction on to the AV node. Via further intermediate steps, in which the contraction is subject to a delay, it finally reaches the heart muscle of the ventricles. The excitation causes the ventricles to contract and let the blood out. Each heartbeat can thus be staggered into two phases. In the first, the heart muscles of the chambers relax, allowing blood to enter the cavities. This is followed by the second phase, in which the muscles tighten. A high pressure is created, which is ultimately responsible for pumping blood into the arteries. The two phases are called diastole and systole.With existing fluctuations in blood pressure, the heart muscle has the ability to independently adjust its activity to the corresponding circumstances. Only later do further processes become necessary.
Diseases and ailments
When the heart muscle’s function is limited by ailments, affected individuals may be in danger of losing their lives. Disorders can be divided into electrical or mechanical forms. A mixture of subtypes is also possible. A mechanical disorder is defined as a change in the size of the heart. As a result, there is discomfort in the pumping process. In the case of electrical complaints, it is a disturbance in the conduction of impulses. Diseases of the heart muscles usually cause the muscle to increase in size. Further differentiations are made. Thickening of the heart muscle, for example, often results from excessive blood pressure. As a result, the left ventricle is forced to work harder to maintain a pressure high enough to keep blood flowing into the arteries. As a consequence of this behavior, the heart muscle adapts, producing more cells. However, at a certain level, the muscle can no longer be supplied with blood. If it has increased too much in thickness, the function of the muscle is limited. This results in cardiac insufficiency. At the same time, the risk of suffering a heart attack increases due to a lack of oxygen supply to certain muscles. Due to certain factors, the heart muscle can become inflamed or worn out. An infection is often caused by bacteria, but drugs, alcohol, flu viruses, fungi and parasites can also be responsible for the symptoms. The course of the disease depends primarily on the severity of the inflammation.
