The Cardiovascular System: Short Answer

Front 1

The heart is enclosed within an area of the thorax known as the __________.

Back 1

mediastinum

Front 2

The double sac membrane that covers the heart is the ______________.

Back 2

pericardium

Front 3

The heart has three layers of tissue; the middle and thickest layer is called the ________________.

Back 3

myocardium

Front 4

The layer of the heart tissue lining the heart chambers and making up much of the valve tissue is the __________.

Back 4

endocardium

Front 5

The heart chambers are separated longitudinally by a body of tissue known as the ____________.

Back 5

cardiac septum

Front 6

The blood receiving chambers of the heart are the ____________.

Back 6

atria

Front 7

The flat, wrinkled appendage of the atrium is the ______________.

Back 7

auricle

Front 8

The two vena cavae enter the right atrium along with a third vein known as the ________________.

Back 8

coronary sinus

Front 9

The pumping chambers of the heart are the _________________.

Back 9

ventricles

Front 10

Blood returns to the heart from the lungs by means of the _____________.

Back 10

pulmonary veins

Front 11

The heart is enclosed within an area of the thorax known as the __________.

Back 11

mediastinum

Front 12

The double sac membrane that covers the heart is the ______________.

Back 12

pericardium

Front 13

The heart has three layers of tissue; the middle and thickest layer is called the ________________.

Back 13

myocardium

Front 14

The layer of the heart tissue lining the heart chambers and making up much of the valve tissue is the __________.

Back 14

endocardium

Front 15

The heart chambers are separated longitudinally by a body of tissue known as the ____________.

Back 15

cardiac septum

Front 16

The blood receiving chambers of the heart are the ____________.

Back 16

atria

Front 17

The flat, wrinkled appendage of the atrium is the ______________.

Back 17

auricle

Front 18

The two vena cavae enter the right atrium along with a third vein known as the ________________.

Back 18

coronary sinus

Front 19

The pumping chambers of the heart are the _________________.

Back 19

ventricles

Front 20

Blood returns to the heart from the lungs by means of the _____________.

Back 20

pulmonary veins

Front 21

The large artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart is the ________________.

Back 21

aorta

Front 22

Those blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart are ____________.

Back 22

arteries

Front 23

Those blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart are ____________.

Back 23

veins

Front 24

On the right side of the heart, the valve between the right atrium and right ventricle is the ______________.

Back 24

tricuspid valve

Front 25

On the left side of the heart, the bicuspid valve has two flaps and is also known as the _______________.

Back 25

mitral valve

Front 26

The flaps of the heart valves are anchored to the wall of the ventricles by tissue chords known as _______________.

Back 26

chordae tendinae

Front 27

The valves leading to the pulmonary trunk and aorta are referred to as the _______________.

Back 27

semilunar valves

Front 28

Arteries that supply blood to the tissue of the heart are the ______________.

Back 28

coronary arteries

Front 29

A blockage found in the heart muscle formed by dead cells is a(n) __________________.

Back 29

myocardial infarction

Front 30

Cardiac muscle cells are connected to one another by junctions called ________________.

Back 30

intercalated disks

Front 31

The sinoatrial node of the heart may be found in the wall of the _______________.

Back 31

right atrium

Front 32

Because the sinoatrial node sets the pace for the autorhythmic cardiac muscle activity of the heart, it is commonly known as the ______________.

Back 32

pacemaker

Front 33

The specialized cardiac muscle fibers in the interventricular septum, which distribute nerve impulses to tissues of the ventricles are the ____________.

Back 33

Purkinje fibers

Front 34

The second major node of the heart receives stimuli from the sinoatrial node and is called the ____________.

Back 34

atrioventricular node

Front 35

Irregular heart rhythms sometimes occur and are known as ___________.

Back 35

arrhythmias

Front 36

The autorhythmic activity of the heart can be modified by a branch of the nervous system known as the _________________.

Back 36

autonomic nervous system

Front 37

Heart contraction is known by the alternate term of ____________.

Back 37

systole

Front 38

Relaxation periods of the heart when contractions are not occurring are known as ______________.

Back 38

dystole

Front 39

The heart normally beats each minute approximately ___________.

Back 39

70-75 times

Front 40

Unusual heart sounds, such as those emitted by poorly functioning valves, are called ________________.

Back 40

murmurs

Front 41

The smallest vessels, which carry blood to the cells of the tissues are the ____________.

Back 41

capillaries

Front 42

The innermost layer of the artery is referred to as ________________.

Back 42

endothelium (tunica interna)

Front 43

When an artery's lumen is narrowed, the condition is called ______________.

Back 43

vasoconstriction

Front 44

The entry to many capillary beds are guarded by circular muscles known as ________________.

Back 44

sphincters

Front 45

The union of several capillaries emerging from the cellular environment forms a vessel known as a(n) _____________.

Back 45

venule

Front 46

The inner layer of the vein often folds inward to form a(n) _______________.

Back 46

valve

Front 47

Dilated veins with pooled blood cause a condition known as ___________.

Back 47

varicose veins

Front 48

The pressure of the blood can be measured by an instrument known as a(n) _____________.

Back 48

sphygmomanometer

Front 49

A typical blood pressure reading contains two numbers of which the first number is the systolic pressure and the second number is the ___________________.

Back 49

diastolic pressure

Front 50

A rapid pulse reflects a rapid heart rate and a condition called _____________.

Back 50

tachycardia

Front 51

A slow pulse reflects a slow heart rate and a condition called ____________.

Back 51

bradycardia

Front 52

The volume of blood passing through the circulation of an adult is approximately ______________.

Back 52

five liters

Front 53

The regulatory center of the brain that maintains the flow of blood is a cluster of sympathetic neurons known as the _________________.

Back 53

vasomotor center

Front 54

Neurons in arteries of the neck and chest help regulate the blood flow and are known as ________________.

Back 54

baroreceptors

Front 55

Two examples of chemicals that affect the blood pressure by inducting vasoconstriction are epinephrine and ____________________.

Back 55

norepinephrine

Front 56

Insufficient oxygen and nutrients delivered to the body cells may induce a condition known as _____________.

Back 56

shock

Front 57

The only artery of the body that carries oxygen-poor blood is the ________________.

Back 57

pulmonary artery

Front 58

The only vein of the body that carries oxygen-rich blood is the ____________.

Back 58

pulmonary vein

Front 59

The pattern of blood vessels within the brain is known as the _____________.

Back 59

circle of Willis

Front 60

The vein that carries nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver is the ________________.

Back 60

hepatic portal vein