A few questions about the heart if anyone can answer??? - Heart Disorders Message Board

BostonDawn · 08-07-2007, 07:28 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering, exactly how wide is a typical coronary artery? In my minds eye it is pretty big, but pictures would seem to contradict that thinking.

If the heart is under the ribs, why can a heartbeat be felt so easily through the chest? If I have my arm across my hubby's chest, it sometimes feels like it is right "there".

And in a related but different question, if my hand is right on hubby's left breast, I can feel the heart beating but there is always one spot where the heartbeat is, does that make sense? Sometimes while I am lying there, well this happens all the time, that "spot" where the heart beats will seem to disappear. I can feel the heart contract or whatever but the beat seems to disappear to somewhere around the back of the heart. The heart seems to be doing something but the actual beat doesnt return to the same spot for several beats. Does the actual location of the pulse, for lack of explaining this better, normally move around?

Just wondering! As usual, I appreciate any replies!!

Best, Dawn

adamace1 · 08-07-2007, 09:12 PM

coronary artery in my mind it is small, i just watched a bypass they were maybe the size of shoe lace on the outside,maybe Just half of it is open inside?just a guess though-i would also be talking about a 200lbs male.

why can a heartbeat be felt so easily through the chest? I can't feel mine, but if i run i sure can feel it. I don't think most people can feel there own heartbeat in there chest.

Maybe it's alot easer to feels someone elses, so maybe thats why you can feel his, can he feel his?

Lenin · 08-08-2007, 06:01 AM

Dawn,

Think 1, 2, or 3 mm. and you will have the size of most of the coronary arteries.

Heart is a VERY powerful muscle tightly packed in place. I think as it beats it has no trouble pushing the ribss in and out a little. They are all connected with tendons that have a shilght "stretch" to them.

At rest I THINK I can feel my heartbeat over my left pec but it's very slight but I'm not sure what you mean by "in one place that moves around."
Like adamace, it's EASY to feel after exercise.

(Maybe when you play with your husband's chest, his heart beat's a little harder.

)

BostonDawn · 08-08-2007, 07:21 AM

Millimeters, seriously?? Wow, its no wonder they dont clog up much much sooner...I was thinking along the lines of the those really fat crayons the pre-k kids use...

I can easily feel my husbands pulse through his chest. It doesnt pound but it is easily detectable. It must just be normal for him. And yes, that pulse point will move around, not sure what that is.

Lenin, you cracked me up! Its a running joke around here that nothing gets hubby's pulse rate up! He has a slowish pulse, around 55, all the time...Even when it SHOULD be up, it just simply pounds hard but doesnt usually speed up too much.

BostonDawn · 08-08-2007, 04:56 PM

It just occured to me his heart is probably 3 times its normal size...

Thats probably why I can feel it so easily...here I am thinking its perfectly normal.