February is Heart Month: Live heart-fully

How well do you know your heart?

February is Heart Month in Canada, a perfect occasion to test your knowledge of this vital organ. Try answering these 10 questions. Good luck!

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. On average, how many times does the heart beat each day?

A. 50,000
B. 100,000
C. 150,000

2. About how many litres of blood does the adult heart pump per day?

A. 4,000
B. 6,000
C. 8,000

3. What’s the name of the muscular wall separating the left and right sides of the heart?

A. Septum
B. Atrium
C. Aortic arch

4. What’s the heart rate of a typical adult at rest?

A. 40 to 80 beats per minute
B. 60 to 100 beats per minute
C. 75 to 125 beats per minute

5. Which parts of the heart receive oxygenated blood from the lungs?

A. The left atrium and ventricle
B. The right atrium and pulmonary veins
C. The aorta and pulmonary artery

TRUE OR FALSE

6. The heart is the first organ to develop in an embryo.

7. The heartbeat is caused by electric impulses transmitted by neurons.

8. “Heart attack” and “cardiac arrest” mean the same thing.

9. The heart is located in the middle of the chest.

10. The heart has four valves that allow a one-way flow of blood.

ANSWERS

1. B.
2. C.
3. A.
4. B.
5. A.
6. True.
7. False. Unlike other muscles, the heart is autonomous and generates the electrical impulses it needs to beat.
8. False. In cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating. A heart attack occurs when part of the heart lacks blood due to a blocked artery. If left untreated, the blocked part of the heart can deteriorate.
9. True.
10. True. The aortic, tricuspid, pulmonary and mitral valves.

Visit heartandstroke.ca to learn more about heart disease and stroke, including urgent signs to watch for.