Förmaksväggen

Förmaksväggen refers to the wall of a cardiac atrium, one of the two upper chambers of the heart. In human anatomy, there are two atria, the left atrium and the right atrium, and each has its own wall. These walls are primarily composed of cardiac muscle tissue, known as myocardium, which allows them to contract and pump blood. The atrial walls are relatively thin compared to the ventricular walls because they only need to pump blood to the ventricles, which are the lower, more muscular chambers of the heart.

The structure of the förmaksvägg plays a crucial role in the coordinated electrical activity that governs the heartbeat. The sinoatrial (SA) node, often called the heart's natural pacemaker, is located within the wall of the right atrium. Electrical impulses originating from the SA node spread through the atrial walls, causing them to contract and push blood into the ventricles.

In pathological conditions, abnormalities within the förmaksvägg can lead to heart problems. For example, conditions like atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat, involve chaotic electrical activity within the atria, affecting the normal functioning of the förmaksvägg. Enlargement or thickening of the atrial walls, known as atrial dilation or hypertrophy, can also occur due to various heart diseases, impacting the heart's overall efficiency. Understanding the structure and function of the förmaksvägg is therefore essential in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disorders.