The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary vein (the only vein to pump oxygenated blood) and ejects via the left ventricle to the aorta.Left sided heart failure means that the left ventricle pumps inefficiently (mark 1). There is insufficient blood out of the left side of the heart due to decrease in efficiency to match the blood entering from the pulmonary vein leads to a backing up of oxygenated blood (mark 2) in the left ventricle, then pulmonary vein and finally in the lungs (mark 3).