Types of Vessels
These vessels carry blood away from the heart and have thick, elastic walls.
What are arteries?
This process moves substances from areas of higher to lower concentration in capillaries.
What is diffusion?
This is the product of heart rate and stroke volume.
What is cardiac output?
This circulation carries blood between the heart and lungs.
What is pulmonary circulation?
This branch of the autonomic nervous system causes blood vessels to dilate.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
Increased capillary filtration, obstruction of lymphatic drainage, and reduced capillary reabsorption.
What factors contribute to edema?
This type of vessel is the site of nutrient and gas exchange with tissues, also called "exchange vessels."
What are capillaries?
This system helps return blood to the heart through walking.
What is the skeletal muscle system?
When these vessels constrict, peripheral resistance increases.
What are arterioles?
These arteries supply blood to the brain.
What are the carotid arteries?
This hormone, released by the posterior pituitary gland, increases blood pressure by promoting water retention.
What is aldosterone?
This condition results in narrowing of the blood vessels due to fatty deposits.
What is atherosclerosis?
These vessels contain one-way valves to prevent backflow of blood.
What are veins?
This pressure difference helps move fluid between capillaries and tissues.
What is filtration?
This hormone, released by the adrenal medulla, causes blood vessels to constrict and increases blood pressure.
What is epinephrine (aka adrenaline)?
This vein returns oxygen-poor blood from the upper body to the right atrium.
What is the superior vena cava?
Baroreceptors in these two vessels help detect changes in blood pressure.
What are the aortic arch and the carotid arteries?
This condition occurs when a blood clot blocks a vessel.
What is thrombosis?
These smallest arteries help regulate blood pressure through vasoconstriction and vasodilation.
What are arterioles?
This special circulation carries nutrient-rich blood from the digestive tract to the liver.
What is hepatic portal circulation?
These receptors in vessel walls detect pressure changes and signal the brain to adjust blood pressure.
What are baroreceptors?
Once blood from the digestive tract is filtered through the liver, it returns to circulation via this vessel.
What is the inferior vena cava?
This hormone released by the atria of the heart causes blood pressure to fall by promoting sodium and water excretion.
What is atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)?
Each heartbeat produces a surge of pressure that can be felt at these different points throughout the body.
What are pulse points?
This large artery is about 1 inch in diameter and branches to supply blood to the lower extremities.
What is the abdominal aorta?
This large vein carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver.
What is the portal vein?
Aldosterone, antidiuretic hormone, and the renin-angiotensin system.
Which hormones help regulate blood pressure?
These vessels drain blood from the brain and face.
What are the jugular veins?
This enzyme released by the kidneys initiates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system when blood pressure drops.
What is renin?
This emergency condition occurs when an artery wall weakens and bulges outward.
What is an aneurysm?