In a healthy heart, which side handles deoxygenated blood?

The right side of the heart is responsible for handling deoxygenated blood. In a healthy heart, blood that returns from the body is low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide, which enters the right atrium. From there, it flows into the right ventricle, which then pumps it to the lungs via the pulmonary arteries. In the lungs, the blood releases carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen before it returns to the left side of the heart.

In contrast, the left side of the heart deals with oxygenated blood, receiving it from the lungs and pumping it out to the rest of the body. This clear division of roles defines the overall function of the heart in the circulatory system, with the right side specifically managing the deoxygenated blood returning from systemic circulation.