By what is blood transported from the heart to the entire body?

Appeared in: UP CHO - 2018

Explanation

Arteries are the primary blood vessels responsible for carrying blood away from the heart.
The left ventricle of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta, the largest artery, which then branches out to supply the entire body.
Arterial walls are thick and elastic to withstand the high pressure of the blood being pumped from the heart.
This system ensures that oxygen and nutrients are delivered efficiently to all tissues and organs.

Option B: Veins carry deoxygenated blood from the body tissues back towards the heart, not away from it.
Option C: Nerves are components of the nervous system and are responsible for transmitting electrical impulses (signals) between the brain and the rest of the body. They do not transport blood.
Option D: This option is incorrect because veins and arteries have opposite functions in terms of the direction of blood flow relative to the heart. Only arteries carry blood away from the heart to the body.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Function of Blood Vessels in the Circulatory System helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the difference between arteries and veins is fundamental for many nursing procedures, such as taking a pulse (felt in an artery) or drawing blood (typically from a vein, i.e., venipuncture).
The high pressure in arteries is why a severed artery can lead to rapid, pulsating blood loss, which is a medical emergency.
What if the question asked about blood transport to the lungs? The answer would be the pulmonary artery, which is unique because it's an artery that carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it's asking about the pathway of blood from the heart to the body.
Recall the basic functions of the major components of the circulatory system.
Think about the direction of flow: 'A' for 'Artery' and 'Away' from the heart is a helpful mnemonic.
Evaluate each option based on this recalled knowledge. Veins carry blood to the heart, and nerves are unrelated to blood transport.
Eliminate the incorrect options (Veins, Nerves) to arrive at the correct answer (Arteries).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Vital Signs p. 74-76

E6 Physiology Essentials Sembulingam 10e Part 2 p. 164-166

E6 Physiology Ganong 27e Vol 2 Part 1 p. 117-119

Practise the full UP CHO - 2018

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.