Anatomy & Physiology - Laboratory

STUDENT ACTIVITY SHEET BS NURSING / FIRST YEAR

Session # 34

LESSON TITLE: BLOOD VESSELS AND CIRCULATION Materials:

(Part 2) Pen and notebook

LEARNING TARGETS:

Upon completion of this lesson, you can:

1. Locate major veins and arteries in models and charts;
2. Describe the circulatory pathways to and from major body
regions;
3. List the function of the circulatory system;
4. Differentiate between blood flow, blood pressure, and
resistance Reference:
5. List the function of the circulatory system;
6. Differentiate the diseases that affect the circulatory VanPutte, C., Regan, J., & Russo, A. (2019).
system; and Seeley’s essentials of anatomy & physiology
7. Discuss treatment options and prevention of circulatory (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
diseases.

LESSON PREVIEW/ REVIEW

Match the following functions in each item to any of the terms in the box. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. Vessels with narrow lumens

2. Vessels with thick muscular and elastic walls
3. Vessels that carry only oxygenated blood
4. Vessels with wide lumens
5. Vessels with thin but multiple cell layer thick walls
6. Vessels that contain valves
7. Vessels that collect blood from venules
8. Vessels with walls that are one cell thick
9. Vessels that allow gas exchange
10. Vessels that receive blood from arterioles

MAIN LESSON
You will study and read their book, if available, about this lesson.

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 Blood Flow, Pressure, and Resistance
The circulatory system is the continuous system of tubes that pumps blood to tissues and organs throughout the body.

Key Points
● The pulmonary circulatory system circulates deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs via the pulmonary
artery and returns it to the heart via the pulmonary vein.
● The systemic circulatory system circulates oxygenated blood from the heart around the body into the tissues
before it is returned to the heart.
● The arteries divide into thin vessels called arterioles, which in turn divide into smaller capillaries that form a
network between the cells of the body. The capillaries then join up again to make veins that return the blood to the
heart.
● The flow of blood along arteries, arterioles and capillaries is not constant but can be controlled depending upon
the body’s requirements.
● Vascular resistance generated by the blood vessels must be overcome by blood pressure generated in the heart
to allow blood to flow through the circulatory system.

Key Terms
● vasodilation: The opening of a blood vessel.
● flow: The movement of blood around the body, closely controlled by alterations in resistance and pressure.
● vasoconstriction: The closing or tightening of a blood vessel.
● resistance: The resistance which must be overcome by pressure to maintain blood flow throughout the body.
● pressure: The force which overcomes resistance to maintain blood flow throughout the body.

❖ The circulatory system is the continuous system of tubes through which the blood is pumped around the body.
❖ It supplies the tissues with their nutritional requirements and removes waste products.
❖ The pulmonary circulatory system circulates deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs via the pulmonary
artery and returns it to the heart via the pulmonary vein.
❖ The systemic circulatory system circulates oxygenated blood from the heart around the body into the tissues
before returning deoxygenated blood to the heart.

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Pulmonary circulation: Pulmonary circulation is the half of the cardiovascular system that carries oxygen-depleted blood
away from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart.

Resistance, Pressure and Flow

Three key factors influence blood circulation.

Resistance
● Resistance to flow must be overcome to push blood through the circulatory system.
● If resistance increases, either pressure must increase to maintain flow, or flow rate must reduce to maintain
pressure.
● Numerous factors can alter resistance, but the three most important are vessel length, vessel radius, and blood
viscosity.
● With increasing length, increasing viscosity, and decreasing radius, resistance is increased.
● The arterioles and capillary networks are the main regions of the circulatory system that generate resistance, due
the small caliber of their lumen.
● Arterioles in particular are able to rapidly alter resistance by altering their radius through vasodilation or
vasoconstriction.

The resistance offered by peripheral circulation is known as systemic vascular resistance (SVR), while the resistance
offered by the vasculature of the lungs is known as pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR).

Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure that blood exerts on the wall of the blood vessels. The pressure originates in the
contraction of the heart, which forces blood out of the heart and into the blood vessels. If flow is impaired through
increased resistance then blood pressure must increase, so blood pressure is often used as a test for circulatory health.
Blood pressure can be modulated through altering cardiac activity, vasoconstriction, or vasodilation.

Blood Flow
Flow is the movement of the blood around the circulatory system. A relatively constant flow is required by the body’s
tissues, so pressure and resistance are altered to maintain this consistency. A too-high flow can damage blood vessels
and tissue, while flow that’s too low means tissues served by the blood vessel may not receive sufficient oxygen to
function.

What diseases affect the circulatory system?

There are many different circulatory system diseases all of which interrupt this complex process of distributing blood
around the body.

Diseases that can affect the circulatory system include:

1. Atherosclerosis
● hardening of the arteries.
● It is typically caused by a diet high in fat, which leaves fatty deposits on the lining of the blood vessels. These fatty
deposits stick together and make the arteries hard and less flexible.
● Atherosclerosis leads to high blood pressure, which can damage the heart and kidneys and even lead to strokes.

2. Heart attack
● Myocardial infarction (MI) is the technical term for a heart attack. 
● A heart attack can occur when the blood supply is cut off from the heart, often by a blood clot. 
● Some heart attacks are minor, but others can be life-threatening.

3. Mitral valve prolapse

● The mitral valve bulges out or prolapses because it does not close evenly. 
● The mitral valve pumps freshly oxygenated blood out of the heart to the rest of the body.

4. Mitral valve regurgitation

● Mitral valve regurgitation happens when the mitral valve does not close all the way and causes a leak, allowing
some of the oxygenated blood to flow backward.

5. Mitral stenosis
● The mitral valve is abnormally narrow which can prevent the blood from flowing smoothly or quickly through it.

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6. Angina pectoris
● Angina pectoris means “pain in the chest” and occurs if the heart is not receiving enough blood. 
● People often describe it as a crushing sensation or feeling like their chest is in a vice.
● People with angina pectoris may also feel breathless, tired, and nauseated.

7. Arrhythmia and dysrhythmia

● Arrhythmia and dysrhythmia are often used interchangeably, and both refer to abnormal heart rates and rhythms.
● In general, arrhythmia means “no rhythm” and dysrhythmia means “abnormal rhythm.”

8. Cardiac Ischemia
● The heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen to function properly.
● A person with cardiac ischemia will usually experience angina-like pain and may feel as though they are having a
heart attack.

9. High cholesterol
● Usually caused by a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthful diet. Some people can also be genetically at risk of
high cholesterol.
● People need cholesterol, but too much cholesterol can form a thick layer on the inside of the vessels, blocking
blood flow.

10. Heart failure

● Heart failure means that the heart is not pumping blood around the body as efficiently as it should. 
● It can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, and coughing.
● Some people with heart failure find it difficult to do things such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries.

11. High blood pressure (hypertension)

● High blood pressure or hypertension means the force or pressure of the blood flowing through the vessels is
consistently too high. 
● High blood pressure can lead to stroke, loss of vision, heart failure, heart attack, kidney disease, and reduced
sexual function.

12. Stroke
● A stroke can happen when one of the vessels that lead to the brain either becomes blocked by a blood clot or
bursts. 
● This stops blood flow and prevents oxygen from getting to the brain.

13. Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

● Peripheral artery disease (PAD) refers to narrowing of the arteries that lead to the legs, stomach, arms, and head.
This reduced blood flow can damage the cells and tissues in the limbs, organs, and brain. 
● PAD tends to occur more often in older people.

14. Venous thromboembolism (VTE)

● A blood clot that gets stuck in a vein, blocking the flow of blood. 
● It is a serious condition that needs emergency medical attention.

15. Aortic aneurysms

● Aortic aneurysms affect the main artery in the body. 
● It means the artery wall has weakened, allowing it to widen or “balloon out.” 
● An enlarged artery could burst and become a medical emergency.

Can circulatory diseases be prevented?

While scientists do not know what causes all of these diseases, there are things that individuals can do to reduce the risk
of developing them.
✔ Many circulatory system diseases are linked to each other. For example, high blood pressure damages the blood
vessels, which can lead to other circulatory problems.
✔ The narrowing of blood vessels caused by high cholesterol increases the likelihood of a person getting a blood
clot.
✔ Being overweight or obese also increases the possibility of developing circulatory diseases. However, a healthful
diet and being active can reduce the risk.

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 ✔ Regular exercise keeps the heart healthy by reducing the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and being
overweight — all of which are risk factors for circulatory diseases.
✔ People who have family members with a circulatory disease are more likely to develop one themselves. This risk,
however, can be reduced with a healthful lifestyle.

Does smoking increase the risk of circulatory diseases?

Smoking is a significant risk factor for developing circulatory diseases. Toxic substances in tobacco can narrow and
damage the blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clots and causing poor circulation.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

You will answer and rationalize this by yourself. This will be recorded as your quiz. One (1) point will be given to the
correct answer and another one (1) point for the correct ratio. Superimpositions or erasures in your answer/ratio is not
allowed.

1. What is the correct path through the circulatory system which describes the passage of blood originating in the left leg?
a. Vena cava → left atrium → left ventricle → lungs → right atrium → right ventricle → aorta
b. Vena cava → left atrium → right atrium → lungs → left ventricle → right ventricle → aorta
c. Vena cava → right atrium → right ventricle → lungs → left atrium → left ventricle → aorta
d. Vena cava → right atrium → left atrium → lungs → right ventricle → left ventricle → aorta
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What causes blood pressure?

a. cholesterol in the blood c. stress that exercise puts on heart muscle
b. contraction of the ventricles in the heart d. removal of oxygen from the blood
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. The picture below shows the exchange of oxygen and carbon

dioxide through a capillary wall.
This picture shows the exchange of gases between which two body
systems?
a. circulatory and digestive
b. circulatory and respiratory
c. endocrine and circulatory
d. respiratory and endocrine

ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

4. The picture below models a blood vessel carrying different

components of blood. If human blood did not contain component C,
which function could you conclude the blood incapable of ?
a. clotting
b. fighting disease
c. carrying oxygen
d. having red color

ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

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5. The rate at which blood flows through the human body changes in response to many factors. Which statement
describes one of these factors and its effect on blood flow?
a. A high viscosity of blood causes an increased resistance in the blood vessels and leads to slow blood flow.
b. A low blood pH decreases the rate of diffusion through the blood vessels and leads to slow blood flow.
c. The changing of the shape of red blood cells to a crescent shape decreases resistance and leads to a faster
blood flow.
d. The narrowing of blood vessels increases pressure and leads to a faster blood flow.
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY

The instructor will now provide you the rationalization to these questions. You can now ask questions and debate among
yourselves. Write the correct answer and correct/additional ratio in the space provided.

1. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
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3. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
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4. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
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5. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
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LESSON WRAP-UP

You will now mark (encircle) the session you have finished today in the tracker below. This is simply a visual to help you
track how much work you have accomplished and how much work there is left to do.

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress.

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AL Activity: LEARNING SHEETS

This technique will help you engage in reading & stimulate learning. You will answer the following questions per column,
as fast as you can, without looking in their notes.

FIND-OUT QUESTIONS:

1. Which of the following factors would most directly affect blood flow through the circulatory system?
a. blood pressure
b. blood sugar
c. respiratory rate
d. outside temperature
Answer: _________

2. True or False. At the instant following the second heart sound, all valves are closed.
Answer: _________

3. How can the circulatory system promote heat retention/conservation, such as on a cold day?
Answer: _______________________________________________________________

LARGER QUESTIONS: (These can only be answered if the FIND-OUT QUESTIONS are completed.)

1. In terms of being open or closed, what is the state of the mitral and tricuspid valves (left and right
atrioventricular valves, respectively) at the end of the first heart sound?
Answer: ___________________________

2. Rank the following blood vessels in order of their average pressure, from highest to lowest: artery,
vein, arteriole, venule, aorta, capillary.
Answer: _______________________________________________________________

CHALLENGE QUESTION:

Give the five variables influence blood flow and blood pressure:

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