Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What are the three types of blood vessel?
Artery, capillary, vein
What are arterioles?
Small arteries that are just visible to the naked eye (,5 mm)
What happens when arterioles dilate?
Blood pressure is lowered
Which layer of the arteriole controls contraction and dilation?
Middle layer
What are the layers of the artery wall?
Endothelium (connective tissue with elastic fibers)
Middle layer of contracting muscle
Outer layer of tissue that is fibrous near middle, loose near outside
How wide is the aorta?
25mm
What is the function of the artery?
Carry blood away from heart to capillaries
What is the capillary wall made of?
Single layer of endothelium
What is the total surface area of capillaries in the human body?
6000 square meters
What is the most important function of the capillaries?
Allow waste/nutrient + gas exchange across their walls
What is an arteriovenous shunt?
A passage that allows blood to go directly from the arteriole to the venule when the capillary is closed
What capillaries are mostly open during eating?
Those who serve the digestive system
What muscle prevents blood from entering capillary vessels?
Contracted precapillary sphincters
What is the function of veins and venules?
Take blood from capillary beds to heart
What are the walls of veins and venules composed of?
Same as artery, but less muscle and connective tissue (thinner)
Where are valves found in veins?
Veins that carry blood against gravity (lower limbs)
What does the majority of blood flow in veins come from?
Skeletal muscle contractions
How much of the body’s blood is in the veins at any time?
70%
How do veins help during a hemorrhage?
They constrict (much thinner walls), providing more blood to the rest of the body
Which is bigger, superior or inferior vena cava?
Inferior
What is the myocardium?
Major portion of heart that consists of cardiac muscle tissue
What is the pericardium?
Which membrane that secretes lubricant. Heart lies within it.
What is the inner surface of the heart lined with?
Endocardium
What is the septum?
Wall that separates right and left side of the heart
What are chordae tendineae?
Fibrous strings that support the heart’s valves by preventing them from inverting when the heart contracts
Describe path of blood through heart
Superior/inferior vena cava –> right atrium –> right ventricle via tricuspid –> pulmonary trunk via pulmonary semilunar –> lungs –> pulmonary veins –> left atrium –> left ventricle via bicuspid –> aorta via aortic semilunar –> body
Why is the left ventricle wall thicker than that of the right ventricle?
Has the harder job of pumping blood to body as opposed to lungs
What is a cardiac cycle?
One heartbeat