Anatomy & Physiology I and II

Anatomy & Physiology Study Guide • The foramen ovale closes, leaving the fossa ovalis. The ductus arteriosus constricts, leaving the ligamentum arteriosum. • Congenital cardiovascular problems reflect abnormalities of the heart or interconnections between the heart and great vessels. Aging affects the blood, heart, and blood vessels: • Age-related changes in the blood include a decreased hematocrit, constriction or blockage of peripheral veins by a thrombus (stationary blood clot), and pooling of blood in the veins of the legs because valves are not working effectively. • Age-related changes in the heart include a reduction in the maximum cardiac output, changes in the activities of nodal and conducting cells, a reduction in the elasticity of the fibrous skeleton, progressive atherosclerosis that can restrict coronary circulation, and the replacement of damaged cardiac muscle cells by scar tissue. • Age-related changes in blood vessels, commonly associated with arteriosclerosis, include a weakening in the walls of arteries, potentially leading to the formation of an aneurysm; deposition of calcium salts on weakened vascular walls, increasing the risk of a stroke or myocardial infarction; and the formation of a thrombus at atherosclerotic plaques.

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