cievam

Cievam is the dative plural form of the Slovak noun cievy, meaning blood vessels. In Slovak usage, cievam appears in phrases such as k cievam tečúca krv (blood flowing to the vessels). The term cievam encompasses the arterial, venous, and capillary networks that constitute the circulatory system.

Cievy are tubular structures through which blood circulates, delivering oxygen and nutrients and removing waste. They are divided into arteries (tepny) that carry blood away from the heart, veins (žily) that return blood to the heart, and capillaries that connect arteries and veins and enable exchange at the tissue level.

Structure and components of cievy include the wall layers: intima (endothelium), media (smooth muscle and elastic fibers), and adventitia (connective tissue). Arteries have thicker muscular walls; veins have thinner walls with valves to help prevent backflow; capillaries are microscopic vessels designed to maximize exchange between blood and tissue.

Physiology of cievy involves regulation of blood flow by the autonomic nervous system, local metabolic signals, and endothelial factors such as nitric oxide and endothelin. Vessel diameter, compliance, and resistance influence the distribution of cardiac output to different tissues.

Clinical relevance: cievy can be affected by diseases including atherosclerosis, aneurysms, deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, and peripheral artery disease. Imaging techniques such as Doppler ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography, and conventional angiography are used to assess cievy integrity and blood flow.

Development: vasculogenesis forms the primary circulatory network, while angiogenesis expands it during growth and in response to tissue needs. cievy mature through remodeling as part of normal development and adaptation.