Exercise 16: Blood Pressure & Lymphatic

Part I: Blood Pressure

1. Define the following terms.

• Cardiac Cycle one complete contraction and relaxation of all four heart chambers

• Systole the contraction of a heart chamber; ventricular contraction unless otherwise specified

• Diastole the period when heart chambers relax and fill with blood, especially ventricular relaxation

• Dicrotic notch a slight pressure rebound during the aortic pressure curve in the Wiggers diagram
caused by brief blood backflow through the semilunar valves which fills and closes the cusps

• S1 (lubb) 1st heart sound - during isovolumetric contraction phase when bicuspid valve closes

• S2 (dub) 2nd heart sound - during isovolumetric relaxation phase when aortic valve closes

• Pulse pressure the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure

2. Identify and palpate the following arteries to feel pulsations.

• Carotid
• Radial
• Brachial
• Dorsalis pedis
• Posterior tibial

3. Taking a blood pressure

• Supplies: sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff), stethoscope, alcohol wipes
• Working in pairs, clean the earpieces of the stethoscope and have the subject sit
comfortably in a chair.
• Wrap the cuff around the upper arm just above the elbow.
• Place the stethoscope over the brachial pulse point.
• Inflate the cuff to approximately 160mmHg and slowly release the pressure valve.
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 • Watch the pressure gauge while listening, note the pressure when you first hear the soft
thudding sounds of blood moving through the artery.
• When you can no longer hear those sounds, note the pressure.
• Make two trials of blood pressure and record the results.

First Trial Second Trial

Systolic: Systolic:
120

Diastolic: 80 Diastolic:

• What is a typical healthy blood pressure? 120/80

• What is hypertension? high blood pressure (elevated blood pressure)

• What would be a blood pressure that is considered pre-hypertension? >120/80 and <140/90
• What is hypotension? low blood pressure

• What is the pulse pressure for the blood pressures you took above? healthy (during class demo)

4. Give the diagnosis for the blood pressure measurements below; assume the person is
otherwise healthy.
• 118/70 healthy blood pressure

• 140/60 high systolic pressure, possible problem with the left ventricle

• 150/100 hypertension

• 80/40 hypotension

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Part II: Lymphatic System

1. List the three primary functions of the lymphatic system.

Drains excess fluid from tissues to blood
Transports lipids and lipid soluble vitamins to the bloodstream

Facilitates immune response

2. Be able to identify the following.

• Thymus
• Spleen
• Lymph nodes
o Cervical
o Axillary
o Intestinal
o Inguinal
• Tonsils
o Palatine
o Pharyngeal
o Lingual adenoid
• Lymphatic vessels tonsil

• Thoracic duct right lymphatic duct

• Right lymphatic duct lymph nodes
• Cisterna chyli thymus
• Appendix

spleen

lymph node

Figure 16.1 Lymphatic Structures

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3. Be able to identify the following on a microscope slide.
Tissue Sketch
Spleen
• Red pulp
• White pulp

Lymph Node
• Capsule
• Cortex
o Lymphoid follicle
• Medulla
o Medullary sinuses

Thymus
• Cortex
• Medulla
• Thymic (Hassall’s) corpuscles

Lymph vessel
• Valve

Tonsil
• Crypt
• Lymphoid follicle

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 Exercise 16: Terminology List
Blood Pressure Terminology Lymphatic Histology
Cardiac cycle Spleen
Systole Red pulp
Diastole White pulp
Dicrotic notch Lymph node
Pulse pressure Capsule
Carotid Cortex
Radial Lymphoid follicle
Brachial Medulla
Dorsal pedis Medullary sinuses
Posterior tibial Thymus
Cortex
Medulla
Thymic (Hassall’s) corpuscles
Lymph vessel
Lymphatic Structures Valve
Thymus Tonsil
Spleen Crypt
Lymph nodes Lymphoid follicle
Cervical
Axillary
Intestinal
Inguinal
Tonsils
Palatine
Pharyngeal
Lingual
Lymphatic vessels
Thoracic duct
Right lymphatic duct
Cisterna chyli
Appendix

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Additional Notes

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 Image Citations
Figure 16.1 Lymphatic structures
• OpenStax College (2013). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax College. Adapted from
https://openstax.org/details/books/anatomy-and-physiology

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