Page 199 - The Miracle of the Blood and Heart

The Heart: The Most Efficient
Machine in the World

Between the atria and ventricles of the heart, there is an area
of specialized tissue, known as the AV node (atrioventricular
node), that conducts the electrical impulse from the atria to the
ventricles. Just as the electrical impulse is about to reach the
ventricles, it is delayed by the AV node. The speed of the cur-
rent falls to 20 centimeters (7.84 inches) a second and it starts
th
being transmitted at around 1/16 of a second.
This delay is of the greatest importance. Due to that delay,
before the ventricles contract, the atria are empty completely. 94
This is the secret of the heart's synchronized action.
These are not the only notable details in the heart's electri-
cal system. One miraculous feature of this system is the sinus
node that initiates the first current. In fact, the other regions of
the heart possess the same ability as the sinus node, which sets
the heart muscles in motion. The AV node and the Purkinje
fibers, located in the inner ventricular walls, can also set the
heart in motion by setting up such a current. So why is this
task left solely to the sinus node? Because the current trans-
mitted with the sinus node is significantly faster than the oth-
ers. The sinus node stimulates tissues that could set up signals
of their own before these signals even begin.
Because of that speed, the sinus node initiates all electrical
activity. If the current were initiated at other nodes, it would
lead to blood failing to reach, or being delayed in reaching,
various organs. 95 The consequences would be most serious.
Indeed, if blood fails to reach the brain within 4 to 5 seconds,
the individual will lose consciousness. If that lack of blood is
prolonged still further, it will lead to death.
Considering all these features, you can see that the

Adnan
Oktar

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