Blood Vessels

What are blood vessels?

channels that carry blood throughout your body

List the word roots that mean blood vessel:

angi/o, vas/o

List the 3 different types of blood vessels found in the human body:

arteries, veins, capillaries

List the word roots that mean artery:

arteri/o

Describe the function of arteries

to carry blood away from the heart to all regions of the body

The walls of the arteries are composed of how many layers?

3

Explain the structure of the artery and why this is so important?

The walls of the arteries make the arteries muscular and elastic so they can expand and contract with the pumping beat of the heart.

Define the term endarterial:

within an artery or pertaining to the inner portion of an artery

Describe what arterial blood looks like?

Arterial blood is bright red in color because it is oxygen rich

What is the aorta?

the largest blood vessel in the body. It begins from the left ventricle of the heart and forms the main trunk of the arterial system

wha are the carotid arteries?

the major arteries that carry blood upward to the head

what is the name of the smallest and thinner branch of arteries?

arterioles

where do arterioles deliver their blood to?

the capillaries

list the word roots that mean vein:

ven-, veno-

What is the function of a vein?

Form a low pressure collecting system to return oxygen- poor blood to the heart

why do veins appear blue?

Blue light, with its shorter wavelength, doesn't penetrate as deeply and is reflected back to your eyes

Describe the walls of a vein:

thinner and less elastic than those of the arteries.

What is the name of the smallest branch of a vein?

Venules

What does a venule attach to?

They join to form the larger veins

What does the term venous mean?

relating to, or contained in, the veins

Veins have valves what is their purpose?

Enable blood to flow only toward the heart and to prevent it from flowing away from the heart

Explain the difference between superficial and deep veins?

one is located near the body surface. the other is located within the tissues and away from the body surface

What is the name of the largest veins in the body?

Venae cavae

Two branches of the largest veins in the body

Superior vena cava, inferior vena cava

Where does the superior vena cava receive its blood from?

Upper portion of the body

Where does the inferior vena cava receive its blood from?

Lower portion of the body

Where does the superior and inferior vena cava deliver their deoxygenated blood to?

The right atrium of the heart

What are the word roots for valve?

Valv/o, Valvul/o

Phlebitis

the inflammation of a vein

Thrombophlebitis

a condition that causes a blood clot to form and block one or more veins, often in the legs.

Thrombus

a blood clot attached to the interior wall of an artery or vein

Embolus

a foreign object, such as a blood clot, a quantity of air or gas, or a bit of tissue or tumor, that is circulating in the blood.

Pulmonary embolism

the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus to an artery in the lung

Varicose veins

abnormally swollen veins that usually occur in the superficial veins of the legs.

Aneurysm

a localized weak spot or balloon-like enlargement of the wall of an artery

Arteriosclerosis

also known as hardening of the arteries, is any of a group of diseases characterized by thickening and the loss of elasticity of arterial walls.

Hemangioma

a benign tumor made up of newly formed blood vessels blood or lymph vessel

What do they connect?

Arterioles and Venules

What is the function of capillaries?

-Form networks of expanded vascular beds that have important role of delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the tissues

-Further slow the flow of blood to allow plasma to the flow into the tissues