Blood Vessels

Question 1

Describe Arteries

Answer 1

vessels that carry blood AWAY from the heart

• have thick walls with high elasticity (withstand high pressure and keep blood flowing in one direction)
• branch out to form arterioles
• the biggest artery in the body is the aorta

Question 2

Veins

Answer 2

vessels that carry blood to the heart

• have a thinner wall, a larger diameter, and less smooth muscle than arteries
• veins have valves that force blood to flow in only one direction branch out to form venules

Question 3

Varicose veins

Answer 3

a common condition caused by weak or damaged vein walls and valves
-may form whenever blood pressure increases inside your veins. -can happen because of pregnancy, constipation, a tumor, or overweight and obesity.

Question 4

capillaries

Answer 4

-the narrowest of the blood vessels (one cell thick)
-capillaries force red blood cells to slow down so that they can
unload O2 and pick up waste products (i.e. CO2)

Question 5

Blood pressure

Answer 5

• the measurement of force applied to artery walls
• measures using an artery in the arm using mmHG
• As the heart rate increases, the ventricles must push a greater volume of blood per unit of time, causing an increase in pressure in the arteries

Question 6

2 types of pressures in blood pressure

Answer 6

Systolic pressure – the pressure in the cardiac cycle generated by the contraction of the left ventricle as it forces blood from the heart

Diastolic pressure – the pressure in the circulatory when it reaches its lowest point, immediately before another contraction of the ventricles

Question 7

Hypertension

Answer 7

high blood pressure

caused by: Diet high in salt, cholesterol, Artificial
stimulants, caffeine, nicotine, Heredity, Age, Lack of exercise
Smoking
Obesity

Question 8

how can high blood pressure occur

Answer 8

1. Increase in extracellular fluids/blood volume
   high salt diet increases water retention = increase fluid going through arteries
2. Narrowing of the artery diameter (vasoconstriction)
   stress hormones narrow the blood flow area
3. Atherosclerosis
   narrowowing the artery flow potentially causing fatal blood clots