Written by: Pastor Anthony Jordan, DOPA-C, Washington, State; Dual-State West District

Rhythm and Perfusion 

Each of us has an amazing and unique body. Two of the most important items in the heart of that body is effective and consistent rhythm and perfusion. Rhythm being: the stimulation to contraction that is initiated in the Right Atrium and spreads throughout the heart. An atrium is a chamber or cavity to which several chambers or passageways are connected. Either the right or the left upper chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into a ventricle.1 That stimulation excites the heart muscle and causes contraction at a pace, which causes expulsion of blood from the right heart (right side of the heart) to the lungs, and to the body in general from the left heart. We will revisit Rhythm in another article.

The item, which we will actually spend time emphasizing in this article, is perfusion. Perfusion is the term I will use to describe the flow of blood into the tissue of the heart itself. A pause which, occurs during perfusion in the heart, will be used as a metaphor to teach the importance of a time of Selah (pause and reflect) for restoration in the spirit.

The Heart

The heart is supplied with blood for work, by the largest veins. They are the Superior and Inferior Vena Cava and the Pulmonary Veins. This large supply is for the work of distribution.  These large veins bring blood for the heart to serve other tissue not to meet the needs of the heart.

But the heart not only distributes blood it needs blood to fuel and support itself. The blood the heart distributes to the lungs and body flows through the larger valves and chambers and is dispatched to the Pulmonary (lung) arteries and the Aorta (Body in general). That blood comes to the heart deprived of oxygen, and high in waste gases (Carbon Dioxide) and after being sent through the lungs it is sent on to the body oxygenated and greatly reduced in the acidic Carbon Dioxide. Collaborating with the lungs in the removal of waste gases and fresh provision of oxygen to the body is the service/ministry of the heart.

Ministry

I ask that you take note of the term ministry.  Ministry has been highly spoken of but often seems to be poorly understood. It simply means service. Service is not billed for but given. The things that are billed for are merchandise. Perhaps we will discuss that in the future.  

Analogy

Here is the place we will begin to use the heart as an analogy to the person in service. Recognize that a waiter can bring food to others all day and starve himself. His need for food is not met just because it is near. I am sure there were and are many places where this illustration is sadly true. So understand that having a resource near you and available to you are different things. With this awareness we take a closer look at the perfusion of t

he heart.

Affects of Waste on the Heart

The heart is tissue and also has needs. For example, heart tissue cannot effectively do its service without the supply of oxygen and nutrients and removal of wastes. Please note that the waste byproducts produced by the work of the heart contains acids and carbon dioxide. Thus the waste blood is acidic. The acidic blood can become toxic to the heart’s muscle tissue and must be removed. Also the lack of oxygen and nutrients will cause the tissue to die. So even though there is an abundance of well oxygenated blood in the heart. The heart can die from the lack of oxygenated blood.

The Heart Attack: The supply of oxygen and removal of acidic waste is the job of the heart's perfusion system. The Right and Left Coronary Arteries and the Cardiac Vein provide the perfusion of the heart. When they cannot supply new blood and remove the waste it is usually called a heart attack.  Realize the actual attack is on the perfusion.

Ineffective Perfusion

Cardiac perfusion is essential. The goal is perfusion adequacy. The better that perfusion, the healthier the heart and greater is its ability to provide service blood to the demands of the body. Angina is pain, "discomfort," or pressure localized in the chest that is caused by an insufficient supply of blood (ischemia) to the heart muscle.2 Angina can also be due to muscle spasms in the cardiac arteries, which also reduces adequate perfusion. The perfusion attack can kill the whole body by killing the pump, which supplies the whole body.

The Source

The Right and Left Cardiac Arteries are fed by the back-flow from the Aorta. Remember the Aorta is the very large artery through which the body in general receives its blood supply. The largest pumping chamber of the heart, called the Left Ventricle, contracts and sends blood out into the Aorta. Due to the Aorta being elastic it swells with that infusion of fresh blood. That swollen artery sends blood not only into the body but a small amount is sent back into the Heart after the Aortic valve closes.

Spiritual Connection

The closing of those valves means - for that moment the work is done. The closure allows the opening of the Coronary Ostium. Ostium means opening. This opening is where blood flows to those Coronary arteries. Just as, closure or the ending of the work is when the heart's perfusion begins. So it is that when we are functioning as “the heart” of a family, job, church or community, that after our exertion, it is important that we close off and allow God to perfuse our needy places.

Rest

The back-pressure or byproduct of the heart’s work provides for the heart to do more work and to recuperate from the work it has done. In the same sense, if we are sowing to God we must look to him for the harvest. We must open up and allow that perfusion to come in. We also must be aware of the source of our input. It is advantageous to accept God sent rest, rewards and hugs. When we’ve done what we can the time is present for receiving. Remember, reaping is a verb. It has to be done. It must be on the schedule.

The heart receives during a very important moment called diastole. It is that moment I am focusing on. That moment is brief for a new contraction is on the way. But a contracted heart muscle is tense and under great pressure. Under pressure, perfusion is restricted. Rest is essential for it is the time for perfusion to replenish the needs of the heart. During perfusion new and fresh comes in. Without that important moment of rest the heart and eventually the whole person or group will become acidic, depleted and will die.

Spiritual Application 

A Pastor, Mother, Caregiver or Server of any title can become the heart of a family or group. That person often is the giver of fresh, vital supplies of love, strength or information that allows that gathering of people to continue to function. Failure of that person to continue to provide will often cause stagnation and can lead to loss of the liveliness or death of the group.

Natural Response to Increased Workload

The person in the role of the heart will often sense himself or herself to be essential and increase their efforts to meet the demands of the body. In other words they work harder and faster and rest less. When the heart of the group is working fast and resting less a side effect is it is getting less of its needs met. Spiritually, mentally and emotionally they can die from a lack of what they supply to others. There is an abundance coming from them but they die because they are receiving little of what they give. The heart must have a time of total calm for replenishment and clear open lines to receive or it will die. Remember angina can be a warning of a pending heart (perfusion) attack.

Self Care

Are you feeling those pains? Is suffocation a symptom you are too familiar with? Is bitterness accumulating in your heart? I encourage you to stop and allow God to restore you. Rest is the root of the word restoration. During restoration it is our time to receive. We must also believe that we've supplied will be a blessing. That it will reach places we never have or will travel to. What we’ve given carries something that was given to us to those who need that gift. So as we rest we celebrate/rejoice that God has allowed us to participate in the process of life. Remember it is not up to the heart to put oxygen or food into the blood. Those are supplied elsewhere and we will discuss those parts of the body too. The heart is an important part but still just a part. Relax and know you've done your part and it is not all up to you.

If you are the heart of group you must check for and maintain you arterial sources. You must also have a cardiac vein, a place or method to help you get rid of the acidic byproduct of work. No matter how kind or good the intention of work is there will still be some byproduct or acidity that must be methodically and consistently gotten rid of.  Otherwise it will accumulate and bitterness will happen. Seek God for times of consistent complete rest, a good clean arterial supply and consistent venous drainage. Or the good hard work you do, will make you a bitter, dying resource.

Last note: Remember the stuff in the veins gets pushed out by the consistent reception from the artery. Keep receiving good and the bitter will be discharged by the abundance of good.

1. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atrium

2. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/angina