Where do heartworms congregate when in the heart?

Where do heartworms congregate when in the heart?

• A. Left ventricle
• B. Right ventricle
• C. Right atrium
• D. Left atrium

Answer: (B)

Heartworms tend to settle on the right side of the heart, with the right ventricle being the most characteristic site. Blood returning from the body enters the right atrium and then the right ventricle, so adult worms migrate to and reside in the right heart and nearby pulmonary arteries where the flow dynamics and environment support them. The left-sided chambers are not their usual resting places because they are part of the oxygenated, systemic circuit and don’t favor the conditions the worms require. In heavy infections, some worms can be found in the right atrium or vena cava, but the common and most typical location when they’re in the heart is the right ventricle.

Heartworms tend to settle on the right side of the heart, with the right ventricle being the most characteristic site. Blood returning from the body enters the right atrium and then the right ventricle, so adult worms migrate to and reside in the right heart and nearby pulmonary arteries where the flow dynamics and environment support them. The left-sided chambers are not their usual resting places because they are part of the oxygenated, systemic circuit and don’t favor the conditions the worms require. In heavy infections, some worms can be found in the right atrium or vena cava, but the common and most typical location when they’re in the heart is the right ventricle.