Heart Diagram

What is a Heart Diagram?

The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body, and every undergraduate anatomy course will undoubtedly include a section on cardiovascular anatomy or physiology.

The flow of blood through the heart and the associated anatomical structures that move blood through the chambers of the heart are fundamental concepts for students of medicine, nursing, anatomy, or other health professions. 

A Heart Diagram is a visual depiction of the heart designed to convey anatomical or physiological features in a simplified way. This could be depicting the coronary circulation, the layers of the heart, the electrical conduction pathways of the heart, or just the heart’s basic structure. 

To help you wrap your head around the basic anatomy of the heart, we have developed this Heart Diagram that sets out key anatomical features of the heart in a simple and accessible way.

Utilize this diagram in your studies by covering up the labels or unwinding by coloring in the different parts of the heart. Either way, this diagram can be a great resource for familiarizing you or your students with heart anatomy.

How are Heart Diagrams used?

You can incorporate this simple Heart Diagram into your study in many ways. Whether you use the diagram as part of your flashcards or as a relaxing coloring-in activity, you'll want to follow these simple steps to get started.

1. Download the diagram

The first step is to get your hands on this anatomical Heart Diagram. To do so, simply download the free PDF resource using the link on this page.

2. Print out or save locally

Next, you’ll want to store the diagram somewhere you can access it for your use or study. This printable Heart Diagram is a great addition to your lecture notes, whether digital or hard copy.

3. Add notes, annotations, or color coding

The last and most important step is to utilize the diagram in your studies or practice. This could look like adding extra annotations, color coding the labeled sections, or providing this resource to your patients or students. 

When are the best times to use this Heart Diagram template?

Lecture revision

Getting comfortable with the basic anatomy of the heart is crucial for many university courses such as nursing, medicine, or anatomy. This diagram can serve as a visual reference for your study, helping to provide some variety for your study resources. 

Exam or test prep

Use this diagram as preparation for an upcoming exam or test by ensuring you can name all the labeled structures of the heart and adding in any extra structures such as layers of the heart wall, branches of the aorta, or the direction of blood flow through the chambers of the heart (see our example diagram above for the correct answer for this last point!). 

Mindful coloring 

Coloring is a great way to unwind and get creative without too much effort. If you’ve studied to maximum capacity, why not relax with our Heart Diagram and peacefully revise as you color? 

Revision for cardiology rotations

If you’re already out of nursing or medical school but just need a quick refresher, this diagram can be a great go-to revision resource. It sets out the most important anatomical structures and can be annotated with any additional points you need to know before going into a cardiology rotation. 

Educational resource for patients or students

This resource isn’t just for students, and clinicians can use this diagram to educate their patients on simple cardiovascular anatomy to help them understand relevant conditions. This free resource can also be used by academics, lecturers, or tutors to provide to their own students. 

What are the benefits of using a Heart Diagram?

Simple design

The simple design of this human heart diagram allows for the revision of the core concepts of cardiovascular anatomy before adding in more complicated steps such as electrophysiology or coronary circulation. This simplifies explaining the anatomy of the heart to your patients and ensures they can understand the key points. 

Focus on basic anatomy

We must crawl before we can walk, so before you can move onto more advanced topics in cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, you must know the basic anatomy, like the back of your hand. This diagram includes just the basic structures but can easily be annotated with additional details as you progress.

Colorable

For some more creatively inclined students, coloring isn’t just a hobby- it can be a great revision practice. By engaging with this diagram by annotating, coloring, and adding extra labels- you’ll improve memory retention and have a fun time while doing it!

Space for additional notes

Given the simple nature of this diagram, you’ll likely have some extra notes to add, and we have provided space in this diagram for you to do so. Whether this is to summarize your notes in words or answer some practice questions.