Frank-Starling Mechanism

The Frank-Starling mechanism describes how the heart adjusts its pumping strength based on the volume of blood returning to it. When more blood fills the heart (preload), the heart muscle fibers stretch more, causing them to contract more forcefully. This means the heart can naturally increase its output to match the amount of blood coming in, helping maintain balanced blood circulation. Essentially, the heart's ability to adapt to varying blood volumes ensures efficient pumping without external control.