Anatomy of the CV System

Question 1

What are the main divisions of the circulatory system?

Answer 1

1. systemic circulation
2. pulmonary circulation
3. coronary circulation
4. lymphatic circulation.

Question 2

What is the function of the coronary circulation in the circulatory system?

Answer 2

supplies blood to the heart muscle itself.

Question 3

How does blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle?

Answer 3

Blood passes from the right atrium to the right ventricle via the tricuspid valve.

Question 4

What is the composition of the tunica intima in blood vessels?

Answer 4

The tunica intima consists of an endothelium on a basement membrane (flattened, elongated cells), subendothelial connective tissue (where atherosclerotic plaques can develop in arteries), and an internal elastic lamina.

Question 5

What type of tissue makes up the tunica media in blood vessels?

Answer 5

• The tunica media is composed of circularly arranged smooth muscle
• Thickest in arteries

Question 6

What is the composition of the tunica adventitia in blood vessels?

Away

Answer 6

The tunica adventitia is made up of loose connective tissue, which blends with the connective tissue in the body.
- Collagen and some elastic fibers
- Thickest in veins
- Fibroblasts
- Elastin
- Adipocytes

Question 7

Mr. Martinez comes to the emergency department complaining of chest pains. His angiogram shows that there is a clot in the artery indicated by the arrows in the diagrams. Mr. Martinez is treated with TPA (tissue plasminogen activator) to dissolve the clot.
This artery runs on the surface of what structure?
a. The atrioventricular groove
b. The anterior interventricular sulcus
c. The left atrium
d. The left ventricle
e. The right atrium
f. The right ventricle

Answer 7

b. The anterior interventricular sulcus (The artery indicated is known as the anterior interventricular artery. It is also known as the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Infarction of this artery has a high risk of death.)

Question 8

Within the last year Mr. Martinez has had a replacement of the valve indicated in the photograph. The valve was found to be infected, and bacterial growth on the valve may have caused the clot to form.
What is the name of this valve?
a. Aortic valve
b. Mitral valve
c. Pulmonic valve
d. Tricuspid valve

Answer 8

a. Aortic valve
You can tell because it is at the junction of the very muscular left ventricle (forms the apex of the heart) and the aorta with its arching course.

Question 9

The infected valve had to be replaced. In the course of open-heart surgery to replace the valve, the nerve indicated in the photograph was damaged.
What is the most likely complication?
a. Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
b. Cardiac arrhythmias
c. Diaphragmatic paralysis
d. Problems with gastrointestinal motility
e. Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

Answer 9

Diaphragmatic paralysis (The indicated nerve is the phrenic nerve (C3-C5) which stimulates the diaphragm (skeletal muscle) to contract.)