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NR507 Midterm Exam Questions and Answers
100% Pass
How does blood flow through the heart? - ANSWER ✔✔-Deoxygenated venous blood → Sup. Vena
Cava → Right Atrium →Tricuspid (AV) →Empties into R. Ventricle (& it contracts) → Blood ejected
through Pulmonary Valve → Pulmonary Artery → Lungs to be Oxygenated → Pulmonary Veins → L.
Atrium → Mitral (AV) → L. Ventricle (pumps with each contraction) → Aortic Valve → Aorta → Body
What is systole? - ANSWER ✔✔-Contraction of the heart which pumps blood
Diastole - ANSWER ✔✔-Relaxation of the heart
What produces S1 and S2 sound? - ANSWER ✔✔-closing of the heart valves
What produces S1? - ANSWER ✔✔-The mitral and tricuspid valves which close in systole
What produces S2 sound? - ANSWER ✔✔-The closing of the aortic and pulmonic valves in diastole
What is cardiac output? - ANSWER ✔✔-the volume of blood pumped out by each ventricle per minute
What is stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle with contraction
What determines cardiac output? - ANSWER ✔✔-stroke volume and heart rate
What is preload? - ANSWER ✔✔-the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts, related to
ventricular filling, end diastolic pressure, amount of blood entering the ventricle during diastole
What is afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-resistance left ventricle must overcome to circulate blood
What is contractility? - ANSWER ✔✔-Normal ability of muscle to contract at a given force for a given
stretch. It is independent of preload/afterload
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
, 2|Page
Will sustained tachycardia result in increased or decreased stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-Decreased
What conditions can result in decreased contractility? - ANSWER ✔✔-Ischemia, acidosis,
cardiomyopathy
What can cause increase afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN, pulmonary disease, damage to the aortic valve
What has the most immediate effect on afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN
Why would hemorrhaging cause decreased afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-Decreased volume of blood creates
less resistance
What does increased preload do to stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-Increases stroke volume, over time
the body will be unable to compensate however
What can cause a decreased preload? - ANSWER ✔✔-Hemorrhage, dehydration...anything that causes
reduced blood volume
What side of the heart is affected by cor-pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-Right (AKA Right sided HF)
What is cor-pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-is defined as right ventricular hypertrophy with eventual RV
failure resulting from pulmonary HTN, secondary to pulmonary disease. Causes dilation (stretching) of
the right ventricle causes a back up of blood flow, and hypertrophy of cardiac cells
What conditions could cause cor pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-COPD, PE, Pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea,
myasthenia gravis, polio
What are causes of heart failure? - ANSWER ✔✔-CAD, HTN, Cardiomyopathy, faulty heart valves
Explain how systemic HTN can lead to heart failure? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN causes increased LV preload
which increases LA preload causing pulmonary edema
- ANSWER ✔✔-
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
NR507 Midterm Exam Questions and Answers
100% Pass
How does blood flow through the heart? - ANSWER ✔✔-Deoxygenated venous blood → Sup. Vena
Cava → Right Atrium →Tricuspid (AV) →Empties into R. Ventricle (& it contracts) → Blood ejected
through Pulmonary Valve → Pulmonary Artery → Lungs to be Oxygenated → Pulmonary Veins → L.
Atrium → Mitral (AV) → L. Ventricle (pumps with each contraction) → Aortic Valve → Aorta → Body
What is systole? - ANSWER ✔✔-Contraction of the heart which pumps blood
Diastole - ANSWER ✔✔-Relaxation of the heart
What produces S1 and S2 sound? - ANSWER ✔✔-closing of the heart valves
What produces S1? - ANSWER ✔✔-The mitral and tricuspid valves which close in systole
What produces S2 sound? - ANSWER ✔✔-The closing of the aortic and pulmonic valves in diastole
What is cardiac output? - ANSWER ✔✔-the volume of blood pumped out by each ventricle per minute
What is stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle with contraction
What determines cardiac output? - ANSWER ✔✔-stroke volume and heart rate
What is preload? - ANSWER ✔✔-the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts, related to
ventricular filling, end diastolic pressure, amount of blood entering the ventricle during diastole
What is afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-resistance left ventricle must overcome to circulate blood
What is contractility? - ANSWER ✔✔-Normal ability of muscle to contract at a given force for a given
stretch. It is independent of preload/afterload
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
, 2|Page
Will sustained tachycardia result in increased or decreased stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-Decreased
What conditions can result in decreased contractility? - ANSWER ✔✔-Ischemia, acidosis,
cardiomyopathy
What can cause increase afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN, pulmonary disease, damage to the aortic valve
What has the most immediate effect on afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN
Why would hemorrhaging cause decreased afterload? - ANSWER ✔✔-Decreased volume of blood creates
less resistance
What does increased preload do to stroke volume? - ANSWER ✔✔-Increases stroke volume, over time
the body will be unable to compensate however
What can cause a decreased preload? - ANSWER ✔✔-Hemorrhage, dehydration...anything that causes
reduced blood volume
What side of the heart is affected by cor-pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-Right (AKA Right sided HF)
What is cor-pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-is defined as right ventricular hypertrophy with eventual RV
failure resulting from pulmonary HTN, secondary to pulmonary disease. Causes dilation (stretching) of
the right ventricle causes a back up of blood flow, and hypertrophy of cardiac cells
What conditions could cause cor pulmonale? - ANSWER ✔✔-COPD, PE, Pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea,
myasthenia gravis, polio
What are causes of heart failure? - ANSWER ✔✔-CAD, HTN, Cardiomyopathy, faulty heart valves
Explain how systemic HTN can lead to heart failure? - ANSWER ✔✔-HTN causes increased LV preload
which increases LA preload causing pulmonary edema
- ANSWER ✔✔-
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
