NU 503- CIRCULATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Pulmonary Circulation - ANSWER oxygenated blood to left atrium via
pulmonary veins
oxygenate blood and remove carbon dioxide
pulmonary circulation origination - ANSWER right ventricle via
pulmonary artery
Systemic Circulation - ANSWER starts with aorta receiving output from
LV
Systemic circulation output with exercise - ANSWER varies greatly to
skin and skeletal muscles
Systemic vs pulmonary pressure - ANSWER systemic 5-10x higher than
pulmonary
Blood flow with heavy exercise - ANSWER Significantly increase blood
flow from 5 L/min to 25L/min
Decreases blood flow to all other organs but the heart (heart blood flow
increases with exercise)
Blood vessel structure layers - ANSWER 1. tunica intima
2. tunica media
3. tunica externa
Tunica intima - ANSWER vital to vascular health, single innermost layer
of vessel and creates vessel lining, basement membrane, and elastic
fibers
Tunica media - ANSWER middle vessel layer, concentric layers of
vascular smooth muscle cells. Surrounding smooth muscle is another
layer of elastic fibers
, Tunica externa - ANSWER outermost layer: strong connective tissue
that keeps vessels intact
Artery walls - ANSWER much thicker for higher pressures, highest in
aorta
Artery branching - ANSWER Branch into smaller vessels (arterioles 80%
SVR) extending from heart
Decrease in lumen diameter
Decrease in elastic fibers
Increase in relative amount of smooth muscle
Capillaries function - ANSWER Exchange between blood and tissues
capillaries vasculature - ANSWER thin walls of endothelial cells and
basement membrane
capillary blood flow - ANSWER collected into venules and larger veins
Law of LaPlace - ANSWER biophysics of vascular wall tension
hydrostatic pressure: aorta - ANSWER created by blood pumped into
aorta
wall tension created by - ANSWER hydrostatic pressure- push on vessel
wall
Wall tension - ANSWER contributor to rupturing of weakened vessel
what increases vascular wall tension? - ANSWER blood pressure
radius of vessel
What decreases vascular wall tension? - ANSWER increased wall
thickness
Vascular Aneurysm: Law of LaPlace - ANSWER weakened vessel is
dilates and radius increases and increased wall tension, creates vessel
enlargement over time, increasing risk of catastrophic rupture
AND ANSWERS
Pulmonary Circulation - ANSWER oxygenated blood to left atrium via
pulmonary veins
oxygenate blood and remove carbon dioxide
pulmonary circulation origination - ANSWER right ventricle via
pulmonary artery
Systemic Circulation - ANSWER starts with aorta receiving output from
LV
Systemic circulation output with exercise - ANSWER varies greatly to
skin and skeletal muscles
Systemic vs pulmonary pressure - ANSWER systemic 5-10x higher than
pulmonary
Blood flow with heavy exercise - ANSWER Significantly increase blood
flow from 5 L/min to 25L/min
Decreases blood flow to all other organs but the heart (heart blood flow
increases with exercise)
Blood vessel structure layers - ANSWER 1. tunica intima
2. tunica media
3. tunica externa
Tunica intima - ANSWER vital to vascular health, single innermost layer
of vessel and creates vessel lining, basement membrane, and elastic
fibers
Tunica media - ANSWER middle vessel layer, concentric layers of
vascular smooth muscle cells. Surrounding smooth muscle is another
layer of elastic fibers
, Tunica externa - ANSWER outermost layer: strong connective tissue
that keeps vessels intact
Artery walls - ANSWER much thicker for higher pressures, highest in
aorta
Artery branching - ANSWER Branch into smaller vessels (arterioles 80%
SVR) extending from heart
Decrease in lumen diameter
Decrease in elastic fibers
Increase in relative amount of smooth muscle
Capillaries function - ANSWER Exchange between blood and tissues
capillaries vasculature - ANSWER thin walls of endothelial cells and
basement membrane
capillary blood flow - ANSWER collected into venules and larger veins
Law of LaPlace - ANSWER biophysics of vascular wall tension
hydrostatic pressure: aorta - ANSWER created by blood pumped into
aorta
wall tension created by - ANSWER hydrostatic pressure- push on vessel
wall
Wall tension - ANSWER contributor to rupturing of weakened vessel
what increases vascular wall tension? - ANSWER blood pressure
radius of vessel
What decreases vascular wall tension? - ANSWER increased wall
thickness
Vascular Aneurysm: Law of LaPlace - ANSWER weakened vessel is
dilates and radius increases and increased wall tension, creates vessel
enlargement over time, increasing risk of catastrophic rupture
