The heart has four chambers that pump blood through two circuits - the pulmonary circuit and systemic circuit. The left ventricle is thicker than the right ventricle due to its greater workload pumping blood to the entire body. Heart valves prevent backflow of blood. The cardiac cycle involves systole where the heart contracts and diastole where it relaxes. The heartbeat is initiated by the sinoatrial node and conducted through the conduction system to the ventricles.