blood vessels Flashcards
(23 cards)
What are arteries?
strong elastic vessels that carry blood moving away from the heart
What is the pathway of arteries?
arteries, arterioles, capillaries
What are veins?
thinner, less muscular vessels carrying blood towards the heart
What is the pathway of veins?
veins, venules, capillaries
What are capillaries?
allows exchange of materials (oxygen, nutrients) between blood and tissues
What are precapillary sphincters?
circular, valve-like muscle at arteriole-capillary junction
What is vasocontriction?
narrowing blood vessel
What is vasodilation?
expanding blood vessel
What is the blood flow through veins like?
not efficient
What are 3 important factors of blood flow?
contraction of the diaphragm
pumping action of skeletal muscles
valves in the veins
What are 4 factors that affect blood flow?
cardiac output, blood volume, blood viscosity, peripheral resistance
What are the major blood vessels?
aorta
pulmonary trunk (artery)
pulmonary veins
superior & inferior vena cava
What are the 4 parts of the aorta?
ascending
aortic arch
descending
abdominal
What is the largest artery?
aorta
What is the pulmonary trunk?
splits into left and right from the left ventricle, both lead to the lungs and
What are the pulmonary veins?
return blood from the lungs to the heart, connects to left atrium
What are the superior and inferior vena cava?
return blood from the head & body to the heart, connects to right atrium
What are the four branches of the aorta?
right and left coronary arteries
brachiocephalic artery
left common carotid
left subclavian
What is the function of the right and left coronary arteries?
supply blood the heart
What branches of the brachiocephalic artery and what are their functions?
right subclavian artery - blood to arms
right common carotid - neck and head
What is the function of the left common carotid artery?
supplies blood to the head
What is the function of the left subclavian artery?
supplies blood to the left arm
What is widowmaker?
massive heart attack from severe occlusion (blockage) of the left anterior descending artery (LAD)
