Blood Vessels, circulation, and the Heart Lecture Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering types of blood vessels, circulatory pathways, and related cardiovascular conditions based on the lecture material.

Arteries

Blood vessels with thick muscular walls that carry high-pressure blood away from the heart to the tissues; almost all carry oxygenated blood except for the pulmonary artery.

Pulse

The change in diameter of an artery felt when the heart contracts and an increased volume of blood flows through it.

Atherosclerosis

A condition characterized by the build-up of plaque (fibrous growth of lipids, calcium, and other minerals) in the arteries, which can restrict or block blood flow.

Angioplasty

A treatment for atherosclerosis that uses a balloon and wire sheath to keep a blocked or narrowed artery open.

Aneurysm

A bulge in a weakened artery wall that can lead to uncontrolled internal bleeding (hemorrhaging) or a stroke if it bursts in the brain.

Arterioles

Smaller blood vessels that lead away from the arteries and have their diameter controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Capillaries

The most numerous blood vessels, which are one cell layer thick with a very narrow diameter to slow blood flow and promote gas and nutrient exchange.

Venules

Small vessels that receive blood flow from the capillaries and feed into the larger veins.

Veins

Blood vessels that carry low-pressure blood back toward the heart, utilizing one-way valves and skeletal muscle contraction to prevent backflow.

Varicose veins

Bulges in the vessels caused by blood pooling in the extremities as veins lose elasticity and valves become damaged over time.

Pulmonary Circulation

The circulatory pathway involving vessels that carry blood to and from the lungs; defined by the path: $right \ ventricle \rightarrow pulmonary \ arteries \rightarrow lungs \rightarrow pulmonary \ veins \rightarrow left \ atrium$.

Systemic Circulation

The circulatory pathway involving vessels that carry blood to and from the body's other tissues; defined by the path: left \ ventricle \rightarrow aorta \rightarrow body \rightarrow inferior \ & \ superior \ vena \ cavae \rightarrow right \ atrium.

Coronary Circulation

The circulation pathway involving vessels specifically supplying oxygenated blood to and removing waste from the heart muscle itself.

Myocardial infarction

Also known as a heart attack; the slow death of heart muscle tissue resulting from blocked coronary arteries.

Angina

A condition caused by the narrowing of coronary arteries that results in chest pain but does not cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.

Coronary bypass surgery

A procedure where grafted veins (usually from the leg) are used to reroute blood flow around blocked coronary vessels.

Vasoconstriction

A reduction in the diameter of a blood vessel that decreases blood flow and the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.

Vasodilation

An increase in the diameter of a blood vessel that increases blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the tissues.