Deck 32: Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems

Question 1

During the cardiac cycle, why do the aortic and pulmonic valves close after the ventricles relax?

A)Papillary muscles relax, which allows the valves to close.
B)Chordae tendineae contract, which pulls the valves closed.
C)Reduced pressure in the ventricles creates a negative pressure, which pulls the valves closed.
D)Blood fills the cusps of the valves and causes the edges to merge, closing the valves.

Answer 1

Blood fills the cusps of the valves and causes the edges to merge, closing the valves.

Question 2

During the cardiac cycle, which structure directly delivers action potential to the ventricular myocardium?

A)Sinoatrial (SA) node
B)Atrioventricular (AV) node
C)Purkinje fibers
D)Bundle branches

Answer 2

Purkinje fibers

Question 3

A patient has a disorder affecting ventricular depolarization. What ECG finding would the healthcare professional associate with this condition?

A)Shortened PR interval
B)Prolonged QRS interval
C)QT interval variability
D)Absence of P waves

Answer 3

Prolonged QRS interval

Question 4

A healthcare professional tells a student that a patient has lost atrial kick. What would the student expect to see when examining this patient?

A)Improvement in atrial dysrhythmias
B)Increased blood pressure
C)Signs of decreased cardiac output
D)Elevations in serum troponin levels

Question 5

What period follows depolarization of the myocardium and represents a period during which no new cardiac potential can be propagated?

A)Refractory
B)Hyperpolarization
C)Threshold
D)Sinoatrial (SA)

Question 6

A healthcare professional is caring for a patient who has a delay in electrical activity reaching the ventricle as seen on ECG. What ECG finding would the healthcare professional associate with this problem?

A)A prolonged ST interval
B)Variability in measurement with heart rate
C)PR interval measuring 0.28 sec
D)A QRS complex measuring 0.08 sec

Question 7

The cardiac electrical impulse normally begins spontaneously in the sinoatrial (SA) node because of what reason?

A)It has a superior location in the right atrium.
B)It is the only area of the heart capable of spontaneous depolarization.
C)It has rich sympathetic innervation via the vagus nerve.
D)It depolarizes more rapidly than other automatic cells of the heart.

Question 8

A patient has a problem with Phase 0 of the cardiac cycle. What electrolyte imbalance would the healthcare professional associate most directly with this problem?

A)Hyperkalemia
B)Hyponatremia
C)Hypercalcemia
D)Hypomagnesemia

Question 9

What is the process that ensures mitral and tricuspid valve closure after the ventricles are filled with blood?

A)Chordae tendineae relax, which allows the valves to close.
B)Increased pressure in the ventricles pushes the valves to close.
C)Trabeculae carneae contract, which pulls the valves closed.
D)Reduced pressure in the atria creates a negative pressure that pulls the valves closed.

Question 10

What can shorten the conduction time of action potential through the atrioventricular (AV) node?

A)Parasympathetic nervous system
B)Catecholamines
C)Vagal stimulation
D)Sinoatrial node (SA)

Question 11

The coronary sinus empties into which cardiac structure?

A)Right atrium
B)Left atrium
C)Superior vena cava
D)Aorta

Question 12

Which statement made by a student indicates the healthcare professional needs to describe the pericardium again?

A)The pericardium is a double-walled membranous sac that encloses the heart.
B)It is made up of connective tissue and a surface layer of squamous cells.
C)The pericardium protects the heart against infection and inflammation from the lungs and pleural space.
D)It contains pain and mechanoreceptors that can elicit reflex changes in blood pressure and heart rate.

Question 13

A student asks the healthcare professional to explain the function of the papillary muscles. What response by the professional is best?

A)The papillary muscles close the semilunar valves.
B)These muscles prevent backward expulsion of the atrioventricular valves.
C)They open the atrioventricular valves.
D)The papillary muscles open the semilunar valves.

Question 14

Which cardiac chambers have the thinnest wall and why?

A)The right and left atria; they are low-pressure chambers that serve as storage units and conduits for blood.
B)The right and left atria; they are not directly involved in the preload, contractility, or afterload of the heart.
C)The left ventricle; the mean pressure of blood coming into this ventricle is from the lung, which has a low pressure.
D)The right ventricle; it pumps blood into the pulmonary capillaries, which have a lower pressure compared with the systemic circulation.

Question 15

Oxygenated blood flows through which vessel?

A)Superior vena cava
B)Pulmonary veins
C)Pulmonary artery
D)Coronary veins

Question 16

Where are the coronary ostia located?

A)Left ventricle
B)Aortic valve
C)Coronary sinus
D)Aorta

Question 17

What is the effect of epinephrine on b₃ receptors on the heart?

A)Decreases coronary blood flow
B)Supplements the effects of both b1 and b2 receptors
C)Increases the strength of myocardial contraction
D)Prevents overstimulation of the heart by the sympathetic nervous system

Question 18

Which chamber of the heart endures the highest pressures?

A)Right atrium
B)Left atrium
C)Left ventricle
D)Right ventricle

Question 19

Occlusion of the left anterior descending artery during a myocardial infarction would interrupt blood supply to which structures?

A)Left and right ventricles and much of the interventricular septum
B)Left atrium and the lateral wall of the left ventricle
C)Upper right ventricle, right marginal branch, and right ventricle to the apex
D)Posterior interventricular sulcus and the smaller branches of both ventricles

Question 20

A patient had a myocardial infarction that damaged the SA node, which is no longer functioning as the pacemaker of the heart. What heart rate would the healthcare provider expect the patient to have?

A)60 to 70 beats/min
B)40 to 60 beats/min
C)30 to 40 beats/min
D)10 to 20 beats/min

Question 21

Which statements are true concerning the method in which substances pass between capillaries and the interstitial fluid? (Select all that apply.)

A)Substances pass through junctions between endothelial cells.
B)Substances pass through pores or oval windows (fenestrations).
C)Substances pass between vesicles by active transport across the endothelial cell membrane.
D)Substances pass across the endothelial cell membrane by osmosis.
E)Substances pass through endothelial cell membranes by diffusion.

Question 22

A healthcare professional cares for older adults in a skilled nursing facility. What should the professional assess for in these individuals related to cardiovascular functioning?

A)Increased rate of falling and dizzy spells
B)Improved exercise tolerance
C)A gradual slowing of the heart rate
D)Progressive ECG changes

Question 23

What is the most important negative inotropic agent?

A)Norepinephrine
B)Epinephrine
C)Acetylcholine
D)Dopamine

Question 24

The right lymphatic duct drains into which structure?

A)Right subclavian artery
B)Right atrium
C)Right subclavian vein
D)Superior vena cava

Question 25

A patient had a motor vehicle crash and suffered critical injuries to the brainstem. What physiological responses would the healthcare professional expect to see?

A)Prolonged QRS segment
B)Shortened PR interval
C)Pulse and blood pressure changes
D)Fluid overload

Question 26

The healthcare professional explains to a student that the amount of volume of blood in the heart is directly related to the _____ of contraction.

A)Pressure
B)Strength
C)Viscosity
D)Speed

Question 27

What enables electrical impulses to travel in a continuous cell-to-cell fashion in myocardial cells?

A)Sarcolemma sclerotic plaques
B)Intercalated disks
C)Trabeculae carneae
D)Bachmann bundles

Question 28

What physical sign does the healthcare professional relate to the result of turbulent blood flow through a vessel?

A)Increased blood pressure during periods of stress
B)Bounding pulse felt on palpation
C)Cyanosis observed on exertion
D)Murmur heard on auscultation

Question 29

Reflex control of total cardiac output and total peripheral resistance is controlled by what mechanism?

A)Parasympathetic stimulation of the heart, arterioles, and veins
B)Sympathetic stimulation of the heart, arterioles, and veins
C)Autonomic control of the heart only
D)Somatic control of the heart, arterioles, and veins

Question 30

A healthcare professional is caring for a patient who has continuous increases in left ventricular filing pressures. What disorder would the professional assess the patient for?

A)Mitral regurgitation
B)Mitral stenosis
C)Pulmonary edema
D)Jugular vein distention

Question 31

An early diastole peak caused by filling of the atrium from peripheral veins is identified by which intracardiac pressure?

A)A wave
B)V wave
C)C wave
D)X descent

Question 32

Within a physiologic range, what does an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume (preload) result in?

A)Increase in force of contraction
B)Decrease in refractory time
C)Increase in afterload
D)Decrease in repolarization

Question 33

The resting heart rate in a healthy person is primarily under the control of which nervous system?

A)Sympathetic
B)Parasympathetic
C)Somatic
D)Spinal

Question 34

Where in the heart are the receptors for neurotransmitters located?

A)Semilunar and atrioventricular (AV) valves
B)Endocardium and sinoatrial (SA) node
C)Myocardium and coronary vessels
D)Epicardium and AV node

Question 35

The Bainbridge reflex is thought to be initiated by sensory neurons in which cardiac location?

A)Atria
B)Aorta
C)Sinoatrial (SA) node
D)Ventricles

Question 36

What is the major effect of a calcium channel blocker such as verapamil on cardiac contractions?

A)Increases the rate of cardiac contractions
B)Decreases the strength of cardiac contractions
C)Stabilizes the rhythm of cardiac contractions
D)Stabilizes the vasodilation during cardiac contractions

Question 37

What is an expected change in the cardiovascular system that occurs with aging?

A)Arterial stiffening
B)Decreased left ventricular wall tension
C)Decreased aortic wall thickness
D)Arteriosclerosis

Question 38

Pressure in the left ventricle must exceed pressure in which structure before the left ventricle can eject blood?

A)Superior vena cava
B)Aorta
C)Inferior vena cava
D)Pulmonary veins

Question 39

What is the major determinant of the resistance that blood encounters as it flows through the systemic circulation?

A)Volume of blood in the systemic circulation
B)Muscle layer of the metarterioles
C)Muscle layer of the arterioles
D)Force of ventricular contraction