CH. 10: Cardiovascular Terms

Question 1

heart

Answer 1

muscular cone-shaped organ the size of a fist, located behind the sternum (breastbone) and between the lungs

Question 2

atrioventricular valves

Answer 2

consists of the tricuspid and mitral valves, which lie between the right atrium and the right ventricle and the left atrium and left ventricle

Question 3

semilunar valves

Answer 3

pulmonary and aortic valves located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery and between the left ventricle and the aorta

Question 4

pericardium

Answer 4

two-layer sac surrounding the heart, consisting of an external fibrous and an internal serous layer

Question 5

epicardium

Answer 5

outer lining covering the heart; also part of the pericardium

Question 6

myocardium

Answer 6

middle, thick, muscular layer of the heart

Question 7

endocardium

Answer 7

inner lining of the heart

Question 8

blood vessels

Answer 8

tubelike structures that carry blood throughout the body

Question 9

arteries

Answer 9

blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart

Question 10

arterioles

Answer 10

smallest arteries

Question 11

aorta

Answer 11

largest artery in the body, which originates at the left ventricle, briefly ascends as the arch of the aorta, then descends through the thorax and abdomen

Question 12

veins

Answer 12

blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart

Question 13

venules

Answer 13

smallest veins

Question 14

venae cavae

Answer 14

largest veins in the body; inferior vena cava and superior vena cava

Question 15

capillaries

Answer 15

microscopic blood vessels that connect arterioles with venules

Question 16

cholesterol

Answer 16

a compound important in the production of sex hormones, steroids, cell membranes, and bile acids; produced by the body and is also contained in foods such as animal fats; transported by lipoproteins

Question 17

high-density lipoprotein (HDL)

Answer 17

a type of lipoprotein that removes cholesterol from the tissues and transports it to the liver to be excreted in the bile; elevated levels are considered protective against development of atherosclerosis, which may lead to coronary artery disease; often referred to as the “good” cholesterol

Question 18

low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

Answer 18

a type of lipoprotein that transports cholesterol to the tissue and deposits it on the walls of the arteries. High levels of LDL are associated with the presence of atherosclerosis, which may lead to coronary artery disease; often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol

Question 19

total cholesterol

Answer 19

a measurement of the cholesterol components LDL, HDL, and VLDL (triglyceride carriers) in the blood

Question 20

triglycerides (TGs)

Answer 20

a form of fat in the blood; synthesized in the liver and used to store energy; test results are used to assess the risk of coronary artery disease

Question 21

very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)

Answer 21

a type of lipoprotein that transports most of the triglycerides in the blood; elevated levels indicate a risk for developing coronary artery disease