Pediatric Nursing Q 198
It is considered as the bluntly rounded portion of the heart.
A. Base
B. Pericardium
C. Aorta
D. Apex
Correct Answer: D. Apex
The blunt, rounded point of the heart is the apex. The apex (the most inferior, anterior, and lateral part as the heart lies in situ) is located on the midclavicular line, in the fifth intercostal space. It is formed by the left ventricle. The general structure of the heart is quite uniform in healthy individuals. However, some variations do occur.
Option A: The larger, flat portion at the opposite is the base. The base of the heart, the posterior part, is formed by both atria, but mainly the left. The heart is arranged more horizontally in the chest in short and obese individuals, while it is more vertical in tall and thin people. An athlete’s heart may be physically larger.
Option B: The pericardium is also called the pericardial sac. It has a fibrous outer layer and a thin inner layer that surrounds the heart. The pericardium is a fibrous sac that encloses the heart and great vessels. It keeps the heart in a stable location in the mediastinum, facilitates its movements, and separates it from the lungs and other mediastinal structures. It also supports physiological cardiac function.
Option C: The aorta is the largest artery that carries blood from the left ventricle to the body. The aorta is the largest vessel within the human body. It originates from the left ventricle of the heart anterior to the pulmonary artery before arching posteriorly and descending along the posterior mediastinum.