RASMUSSEN MDC III CARDIOVASCULAR EXAMINATION
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
1. Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the
systemic circulation?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The left ventricle generates the pressure necessary to eject
oxygenated blood through the aorta and throughout the systemic
circulation.
2. Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A. Tricuspid
B. Pulmonic
C. Mitral
D. Aortic
Answer: C. Mitral
Rationale: The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and left
ventricle and prevents blood from flowing backward during ventricular
contraction.
,3. Which coronary artery primarily supplies the anterior wall of the
left ventricle?
A. Left anterior descending artery
B. Right coronary artery
C. Circumflex artery
D. Posterior descending artery
Answer: A. Left anterior descending artery
Rationale: The LAD supplies much of the anterior ventricular wall and
interventricular septum, making obstruction particularly clinically
significant.
4. What is the primary function of the sinoatrial node?
A. Initiate ventricular contraction
B. Act as the heart's primary pacemaker
C. Close the atrioventricular valves
D. Increase blood viscosity
Answer: B. Act as the heart's primary pacemaker
Rationale: The sinoatrial node normally generates spontaneous
electrical impulses that initiate each cardiac cycle and establish the
basic heart rhythm.
5. A patient has a heart rate of 48 beats/minute. Which term
describes this finding?
,A. Tachycardia
B. Bradycardia
C. Dysrhythmia
D. Fibrillation
Answer: B. Bradycardia
Rationale: Bradycardia refers to a heart rate below 60 beats per minute
in adults, although clinical significance depends upon symptoms.
6. Which finding is most characteristic of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema only
B. Pulmonary crackles
C. Enlarged liver
D. Jugular venous distention only
Answer: B. Pulmonary crackles
Rationale: Left ventricular failure increases pulmonary venous
pressure, causing pulmonary congestion that may produce crackles and
worsening respiratory distress.
7. Which finding is most commonly associated with right-sided heart
failure?
A. Pulmonary edema
B. Peripheral edema
C. Hemoptysis
D. Orthopnea alone
, Answer: B. Peripheral edema
Rationale: Right-sided failure causes systemic venous congestion,
commonly producing dependent edema, jugular venous distention, and
hepatic congestion.
8. Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the right
ventricle toward the lungs?
A. Aorta
B. Pulmonary artery
C. Pulmonary vein
D. Superior vena cava
Answer: B. Pulmonary artery
Rationale: The pulmonary arteries carry oxygen-poor blood from the
right ventricle to the lungs for carbon dioxide removal and oxygenation.
9. Which blood vessels return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the
heart?
A. Pulmonary arteries
B. Coronary arteries
C. Pulmonary veins
D. Superior vena cava
Answer: C. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins transport oxygenated blood from the lungs
into the left atrium, completing pulmonary circulation.
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
1. Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the
systemic circulation?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The left ventricle generates the pressure necessary to eject
oxygenated blood through the aorta and throughout the systemic
circulation.
2. Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A. Tricuspid
B. Pulmonic
C. Mitral
D. Aortic
Answer: C. Mitral
Rationale: The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and left
ventricle and prevents blood from flowing backward during ventricular
contraction.
,3. Which coronary artery primarily supplies the anterior wall of the
left ventricle?
A. Left anterior descending artery
B. Right coronary artery
C. Circumflex artery
D. Posterior descending artery
Answer: A. Left anterior descending artery
Rationale: The LAD supplies much of the anterior ventricular wall and
interventricular septum, making obstruction particularly clinically
significant.
4. What is the primary function of the sinoatrial node?
A. Initiate ventricular contraction
B. Act as the heart's primary pacemaker
C. Close the atrioventricular valves
D. Increase blood viscosity
Answer: B. Act as the heart's primary pacemaker
Rationale: The sinoatrial node normally generates spontaneous
electrical impulses that initiate each cardiac cycle and establish the
basic heart rhythm.
5. A patient has a heart rate of 48 beats/minute. Which term
describes this finding?
,A. Tachycardia
B. Bradycardia
C. Dysrhythmia
D. Fibrillation
Answer: B. Bradycardia
Rationale: Bradycardia refers to a heart rate below 60 beats per minute
in adults, although clinical significance depends upon symptoms.
6. Which finding is most characteristic of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema only
B. Pulmonary crackles
C. Enlarged liver
D. Jugular venous distention only
Answer: B. Pulmonary crackles
Rationale: Left ventricular failure increases pulmonary venous
pressure, causing pulmonary congestion that may produce crackles and
worsening respiratory distress.
7. Which finding is most commonly associated with right-sided heart
failure?
A. Pulmonary edema
B. Peripheral edema
C. Hemoptysis
D. Orthopnea alone
, Answer: B. Peripheral edema
Rationale: Right-sided failure causes systemic venous congestion,
commonly producing dependent edema, jugular venous distention, and
hepatic congestion.
8. Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the right
ventricle toward the lungs?
A. Aorta
B. Pulmonary artery
C. Pulmonary vein
D. Superior vena cava
Answer: B. Pulmonary artery
Rationale: The pulmonary arteries carry oxygen-poor blood from the
right ventricle to the lungs for carbon dioxide removal and oxygenation.
9. Which blood vessels return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the
heart?
A. Pulmonary arteries
B. Coronary arteries
C. Pulmonary veins
D. Superior vena cava
Answer: C. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins transport oxygenated blood from the lungs
into the left atrium, completing pulmonary circulation.
