Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Patient Care Technician AAH Exam with our comprehensive exam. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each equipped with hints and explanations. Get ready to excel!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the pericardium?

A layer of muscle surrounding the heart
A double-layered membrane surrounding the heart
The main artery leaving the heart
A type of heart valve

The correct answer is: A double-layered membrane surrounding the heart

The pericardium is a double-layered membrane that encases the heart, providing protection and maintaining its position within the chest cavity. This structure is vital for heart health, as it secretes a small amount of fluid that allows the heart to beat smoothly, reducing friction as it contracts and expands. The two layers, known as the fibrous pericardium and the serous pericardium, work together to create a stable environment for the heart while also allowing it the necessary space to move during its pumping action. The other options do not accurately describe the pericardium. While the heart does have muscle tissue, which is the myocardium, this does not reflect the layer of membrane that surrounds the heart. The main artery leaving the heart is known as the aorta, and heart valves serve to regulate blood flow in and out of the heart but are not part of the pericardial structure.