HESI Circulatory System Exam Review: 123 Q&A on Heart Anatomy, Blood Flow, & Physiology

HESI Circulatory System Exam Review: 123 Q&A on Heart Anatomy, Blood Flow, & Physiology This comprehensive HESI Circulatory System Exam study guide contains 123 detailed questions and answers covering the essential concepts of cardiovascular and lymphatic physiology. Perfect for nursing students, pre-med candidates, and allied health professionals preparing for the HESI A2, NCLEX, or other entrance exams. HESI Circulatory System Exam: A Review of 122 Questions With Solutions| Updated 2026/2027| Guaranteed Pass Grade A+ 1. What is the path of blood flow in the pulmonary circuit?: ANS right ventricle Pulmonary arteries - arterioles - capillaries of the lungs - venules - veins - pulmonary veins - left atrium 2. What describes the blood pathway from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart?: ANS systemic circuit 3. What is the heart chamber where blood enters from the pulmonary veins : ANS left atrium 4. What is the heart chamber where blood enters from the left atrium and exits through the aorta?: ANS left ventricle 5. What valve does the blood enter the left ventricle?: ANS left AV valve (AKA: mitral/bicuspid valve -prevents back-flow into the left atrium ) 6. What valve does the blood exit the left ventricle?: ANS aortic semilunar valve (Note: prevents back-flow into left ventricle) 7. Where is the SA node located?: ANS upper wall of the right atrium 8. Of what units is the SA node composed?: ANS specialized cardiac muscle cells 9. What does the SA node initiate first when it starts a heart contraction?: ANS Initiate the contraction of both atria 10. What is the SA (sinoatrial node) node also known as?: ANS pacemaker of the heart 11. What is the path of the SA node's impulse?: ANS SA node (atrial contraction) AV node -Bundle of His -Purkinje fibers (ventricular contraction) 12. Why is the impulse briefly delayed at the AV node?: ANS to allow the atria to completely empty, allowing ventricles to fill with blood. 13. How does the impulse travel through cardiac muscles?: ANS gap junctions 14. Is the pace of the SA node faster or slower compared to the normal heart- beat?: ANS faster 15. What slows down the SA node pace to stimulate the heart at a comfortable pace?: ANS vagus nerve (parasympathetic nervous system) (Note: the point of vagus nerve innervation is to allow the heart rate to be both increased and decreased- creates a sort of midpoint 16. Where is the AV node located?: ANS lower wall of the right atrium/interatrial septa 17. When the ventricles contract, what structures is through: ANS Pulmonary arteries and aorta 18. What structures are attached to cardiac valves and force them closed during systole?: ANS papillary muscles and chordae tendinea 19. What is diastole?: ANS filling of the heart 20. What is systole?: ANS contraction of the heart 21. Which ventricle is thicker?: ANS left (Note: it is thicker b/c it pumps blood to extremities) 22. What are the two semilunar valves?: ANS aortic and pulmonary (Note: prevent back flow into ventricles) 23. What are the two atrioventricular valves?: ANS - tricuspid/right AV valve - bicuspid/left AV valve 24. What force causes blood to move through the arteries?: ANS hydrostatic pressure 25. Blood pressure drops as it reaches the , and reaches zero in the .: ANS capillaries; venules 26. What system is responsible for circulating and transporting nutrients, O2, CO2, hormones, and red blood cells throughout the body?: ANS circulatory system 27. What is the path of blood flow from the heart to tissues?: ANS aorta → arteries - arterioles - capillaries 28. What is the path of blood flow from the tissues to the heart?: ANS capillaries→ venules - superior/inferior vena cava 29. what is the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart in order to protect and lubricate it for proper function?: ANS pericardium 30. What is the heart chamber where deoxygenated blood enters via the superior and inferior vena cava?: ANS right atrium