ATI RN
100 Questions on the Cardiovascular System Questions
Question 1 of 5
A cardiovascular assessment on a client's chart notes 'S₁/S₂ audible.' The nurse knows that S₁ is produced by which valves?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: S₁ ('lub') is produced by the closure of the atrioventricular valves—tricuspid and mitral—at the start of ventricular systole. S₂ ('dub') is from the aortic and pulmonic valves. (Source: Document, p. 62, Valve sounds)
Question 2 of 5
The blanket term for reactions that prevent or minimize loss of blood from the vessels if they are injured or ruptured is:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hemostasis is the process of stopping blood loss via vasoconstriction, platelet plugs, and clotting. Homeostasis is broader (body equilibrium), and syneresis is clot shrinkage, not the full process.
Question 3 of 5
The ventricular muscles accept impulses directly from
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Purkinje fibers deliver impulses directly to ventricular myocardium, causing rapid, coordinated contraction. The AV node delays the signal, the Bundle of His splits it, and bundle branches distribute it, but Purkinje fibers are the final step to the muscle.
Question 4 of 5
Vascular resistance is determined by:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Vascular resistance is primarily determined by vessel diameter (D), as per Poiseuille’s law (resistance ∝ 1/r⁴), where small changes in radius greatly affect resistance. Length (A) and viscosity (B) contribute but are less dynamic, C is vague, and E (blood pressure) is an outcome, not a determinant.
Question 5 of 5
Identify the vessel(s) that return blood to the left atrium.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the right and left pulmonary veins (D). The coronary sinus (A, B) drains to the right atrium, and the pulmonary trunk (C) is an artery from the right ventricle.