The Effects of Atrial Kick

When the heart pumps blood through the body, it does so using a series of timed, regular contractions. Those contractions, or squeezing of the heart muscles, occur in various sections of the heart at specific times. It ensures the blood goes to the lungs to gather oxygen before returning to the heart, which pumps it back out to the body. "Atrial kick" refers to the contraction of the top chambers of the heart.

Heart Anatomy

• The heart consists of four different chambers. Two smaller chambers, the atria, occupy the top half of the heart. Two larger chambers, the ventricles, make up the lower half . The ventricles pump blood to different parts of the body, while the atria pump blood from the top half of the heart to the lower half.

The Atria

• The two atria gather blood from the body and transfer it to the ventricles. The right atrium gathers oxygen-depleted blood and transfers it to the right ventricle, which sends it to the lungs to be refilled with oxygen. The left atrium gathers oxygen-rich blood and pumps it into the left ventricle, which sends the blood throughout the body, providing muscles and other tissues with oxygen.

Atrial Kick

• When the atria contract to squeeze blood into the ventricles, the atrial kick comes into play. While much of the blood simply pours down into the ventricles, the kick of the contraction forces any remaining blood into the ventricle, ensuring it fills completely. A full ventricle helps the heart run efficiently, which reduces its wear and tear.

Atrial Fibrillation

• An ill-timed atrial kick can lead to atrial fibrillation, in which the atria contract too quickly. The speedy pace causes the atria to contract again before they completely empty, which means the ventricles are not full when they contract. The body does not receive as much blood per heartbeat as possible. People suffering from this condition become easily fatigued or out of breath.