Intro to cardiovascular system Flashcards
What is the function of the cardiovascular system?
Move blood through the body and transport nutrients
What is the heart?
A muscular pump
Arteries
Carry blood away from the heart
Conducting arteries
Larger arteries that contain a lot of elastic fibers but do not regulate blood flow
Distributing arteries
Medium arteries that have the ability to dilate and constrict and regulate blood flow to the organs
Arterioles
Regulate blood flow and have a lot of smooth muscle in the walls
What is the functional unit of the CVS?
Capillaries
Capillaries
Made from endothelium with little connective tissue that connect arterioles to venules and where nutrient exchange occurs
Precapillary sphincters
Regulate blood flow in capillary
Venules
Small veins
Veins
Return blood back to the heart and regulate blood pressure
Pericardial sac
Surrounds the heart and is a tough dense irregular connectie tissue
Coronary arteries
Located on the outside of the heart and supply blood back to the heart
What makes up the wall of the heart?
Visceral pericardium
Myocardium
Endocardium
