Chapter 12: Cardiovascular System Disorders
VanMeter and Hubert: Gould’s Pathophysiology for the Health Professions, 7th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following actions causes the atrioventricular (AV) valves to close?
a. Increased intraventricular pressure
b. Depolarization at the AV node
c. Ventricular relaxation and backflow of blood
d. Contraction of the atria
ANS: A
2. When stroke volume decreases, which of the following could maintain cardiac output?
a. Decreased peripheral resistance
b. Increased heart rate
c. Decreased venous return
d. General vasodilation
ANS: B
3. Which of the following describes the pericardial cavity?
a. It contains sufficient fluid to provide a protective cushion for the heart.
b. It is a potential space containing a very small amount of serous fluid.
c. It is lined by the endocardium.
d. It is located between the double-walled pericardium and the epicardium.
ANS: B
4. Which of the following factors greatly improves venous return to the heart during
strenuous exercise?
a. Rapid emptying of the right side of the heart
b. Forceful action of the valves in the veins
c. Contraction and relaxation of skeletal muscle
d. Peristalsis in the large veins
ANS: C
5. The function of the baroreceptors is to
a. stimulate the parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system at the sinoatrial
(SA) node as needed.
b. adjust blood pressure by changing peripheral resistance.
c. sense a change in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
d. signal the cardiovascular control center of changes in systemic blood pressure.
ANS: D
6. The normal delay in conduction through the AV node is essential for
a. preventing an excessively rapid heart rate.
b. limiting the time for a myocardial contraction.
, c. allowing the ventricles to contract before the atria.
d. completing ventricular filling.
ANS: D
7. Which of the following is a result of increased secretion of epinephrine?
a. Increased heart rate and force of contraction
b. Decreased stimulation of the SA node and ventricles
c. Vasoconstriction in skeletal muscles and kidneys
d. Vasodilation of cutaneous blood vessels
ANS: A
8. Which of the following causes increased heart rate?
a. Stimulation of the vagus nerve
b. Increased renin secretion
c. Administration of beta-blocking drugs
d. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system
ANS: D
9. The event that causes the QRS wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing is
a. atrial depolarization.
b. atrial repolarization.
c. ventricular depolarization.
d. ventricular repolarization.
ANS: C
10. The cardiac reserve is
a. afterload.
b. the difference between the apical and radial pulses.
c. the ability of the heart to increase cardiac output when needed.
d. the extra blood remaining in the heart after it contracts.
ANS: C
11. The term preload refers to
a. volume of venous return.
b. peripheral resistance.
c. stroke volume.
d. cardiac output.
ANS: A
12. The first arteries to branch off the aorta are the
a. common carotid arteries.
b. pulmonary arteries.
c. coronary arteries.
d. subclavian arteries.
ANS: C
, 13. Cardiac output refers to
a. the amount of blood passing through either of the atria.
b. the volume of blood ejected by a ventricle in one minute.
c. the volume of blood ejected by each ventricle in a single contraction.
d. the total number of heartbeats in one minute.
ANS: B
14. Vasodilation in the skin and viscera results directly from
a. decreased blood pressure.
b. increased parasympathetic stimulation.
c. relaxation of smooth muscle in the arterioles.
d. increased stimulation of alpha-adrenergic receptors.
ANS: C
15. Which of the following drugs decrease sodium and fluid retention in the body?
a. Warfarin (Coumadin)
b. Digoxin (Lanoxin)
c. Nitroglycerin (Isordil)
d. Hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL)
ANS: D
16. Which of the following are predisposing factors to thrombus formation in the circulation?
1. Decreased viscosity of the blood
2. Damaged blood vessel walls
3. Immobility
4. Prosthetic valves
a. 1, 3
b. 2, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: D
17. A drug taken in small doses on a continuing basis to reduce platelet adhesion is
a. acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).
b. streptokinase.
c. acetaminophen.
d. heparin.
ANS: A
18. A partial obstruction in a coronary artery will likely cause
a. pulmonary embolus.
b. hypertension.
c. angina attacks.
d. myocardial infarction.
ANS: C
19. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor in coronary artery disease because smoking
VanMeter and Hubert: Gould’s Pathophysiology for the Health Professions, 7th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following actions causes the atrioventricular (AV) valves to close?
a. Increased intraventricular pressure
b. Depolarization at the AV node
c. Ventricular relaxation and backflow of blood
d. Contraction of the atria
ANS: A
2. When stroke volume decreases, which of the following could maintain cardiac output?
a. Decreased peripheral resistance
b. Increased heart rate
c. Decreased venous return
d. General vasodilation
ANS: B
3. Which of the following describes the pericardial cavity?
a. It contains sufficient fluid to provide a protective cushion for the heart.
b. It is a potential space containing a very small amount of serous fluid.
c. It is lined by the endocardium.
d. It is located between the double-walled pericardium and the epicardium.
ANS: B
4. Which of the following factors greatly improves venous return to the heart during
strenuous exercise?
a. Rapid emptying of the right side of the heart
b. Forceful action of the valves in the veins
c. Contraction and relaxation of skeletal muscle
d. Peristalsis in the large veins
ANS: C
5. The function of the baroreceptors is to
a. stimulate the parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system at the sinoatrial
(SA) node as needed.
b. adjust blood pressure by changing peripheral resistance.
c. sense a change in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
d. signal the cardiovascular control center of changes in systemic blood pressure.
ANS: D
6. The normal delay in conduction through the AV node is essential for
a. preventing an excessively rapid heart rate.
b. limiting the time for a myocardial contraction.
, c. allowing the ventricles to contract before the atria.
d. completing ventricular filling.
ANS: D
7. Which of the following is a result of increased secretion of epinephrine?
a. Increased heart rate and force of contraction
b. Decreased stimulation of the SA node and ventricles
c. Vasoconstriction in skeletal muscles and kidneys
d. Vasodilation of cutaneous blood vessels
ANS: A
8. Which of the following causes increased heart rate?
a. Stimulation of the vagus nerve
b. Increased renin secretion
c. Administration of beta-blocking drugs
d. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system
ANS: D
9. The event that causes the QRS wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing is
a. atrial depolarization.
b. atrial repolarization.
c. ventricular depolarization.
d. ventricular repolarization.
ANS: C
10. The cardiac reserve is
a. afterload.
b. the difference between the apical and radial pulses.
c. the ability of the heart to increase cardiac output when needed.
d. the extra blood remaining in the heart after it contracts.
ANS: C
11. The term preload refers to
a. volume of venous return.
b. peripheral resistance.
c. stroke volume.
d. cardiac output.
ANS: A
12. The first arteries to branch off the aorta are the
a. common carotid arteries.
b. pulmonary arteries.
c. coronary arteries.
d. subclavian arteries.
ANS: C
, 13. Cardiac output refers to
a. the amount of blood passing through either of the atria.
b. the volume of blood ejected by a ventricle in one minute.
c. the volume of blood ejected by each ventricle in a single contraction.
d. the total number of heartbeats in one minute.
ANS: B
14. Vasodilation in the skin and viscera results directly from
a. decreased blood pressure.
b. increased parasympathetic stimulation.
c. relaxation of smooth muscle in the arterioles.
d. increased stimulation of alpha-adrenergic receptors.
ANS: C
15. Which of the following drugs decrease sodium and fluid retention in the body?
a. Warfarin (Coumadin)
b. Digoxin (Lanoxin)
c. Nitroglycerin (Isordil)
d. Hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL)
ANS: D
16. Which of the following are predisposing factors to thrombus formation in the circulation?
1. Decreased viscosity of the blood
2. Damaged blood vessel walls
3. Immobility
4. Prosthetic valves
a. 1, 3
b. 2, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: D
17. A drug taken in small doses on a continuing basis to reduce platelet adhesion is
a. acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).
b. streptokinase.
c. acetaminophen.
d. heparin.
ANS: A
18. A partial obstruction in a coronary artery will likely cause
a. pulmonary embolus.
b. hypertension.
c. angina attacks.
d. myocardial infarction.
ANS: C
19. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor in coronary artery disease because smoking
