pulmonary veins

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there are 4 total pulmonary veins...only thing i can find is that each lung has 1 pulmonary artery with 2 pulmonary veins leaving heading to the Left atrium. Is this right? What is the purpose of 2 veins from the lungs instead of one? So does this mean there are actually 4 holes where each vein empties into the left atrium? Anyone understand my confusion?

Assuming you're asking about this for the MCAT, you do realize anatomy isn't tested, right? I don't know the answers (although I think for the last one the veins merge before entering the heart, so you would only have 1 hole) and I certainly wouldn't bother knowing them for the MCAT.

Originally Posted by surfer4life722

there are 4 total pulmonary veins...only thing i can find is that each lung has 1 pulmonary artery with 2 pulmonary veins leaving heading to the Left atrium. Is this right? What is the purpose of 2 veins from the lungs instead of one? So does this mean there are actually 4 holes where each vein empties into the left atrium? Anyone understand my confusion?

Just graduated PA-school. Yes, there are 4 PVs. Yes, they drain into the LA. There's a greater PV:PA ratio d/t the difference in pressures. The PAs have a greater force and pressure d/t pumping of blood by the ventricles and smooth muscle constriction into the lungs, while the PVs rely more on just the increase of thoracic pressure forcing the blood down to the LA where the empty LA chamber has a lower pressure.

Hope this makes the process clear to you. Understanding the process is required for the MCAT, but I do NOT think the fact there are 4 PVs draining into the LA is required for the MCAT.
That's med school.

Originally Posted by NYR56

Assuming you're asking about this for the MCAT, you do realize anatomy isn't tested, right? I don't know the answers (although I think for the last one the veins merge before entering the heart, so you would only have 1 hole) and I certainly wouldn't bother knowing them for the MCAT.

On a biology section of an mcat I took had ear anatomy....specifally it asked for what the outer ear was called....

FWIW, most MCAT bio review books have all the anatomy you need to know. I used EK, and yes, they go over some basic eye and ear anatomy. The anatomy of the kidney is often specifically tested. However, all of these are in most MCAT bio review books.

I had a bio-mechanical type question regarding musculature that came out of nowhere. I knew the answer from weightlifting, and not from any review book. Funny, sometimes they just test common sense.

Originally Posted by Segovia

FWIW, most MCAT bio review books have all the anatomy you need to know. I used EK, and yes, they go over some basic eye and ear anatomy. The anatomy of the kidney is often specifically tested. However, all of these are in most MCAT bio review books.

I agree. Before going overboard and memorizing everything in Netter's Anatomy, refer to your MCAT bio books because they label their pictures with what you must know.

O yeah, i'm not learning everything. I was just a little confused on that and curious. I'm just learning the basic anatomy stuff (eye/ear/GI...etc.)

Originally Posted by surfer4life722

On a biology section of an mcat I took had ear anatomy....specifally it asked for what the outer ear was called....

I should have been more specific but you're right. It's more random anatomy that they want you to know but the details you were asking about were for too much for the MCAT. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of that.