New York State Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Exam

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The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood to which side of the heart?

Left side
Right side
Both sides
No return

The correct answer is: Right side

The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart. This deoxygenated blood is directed to the right side of the heart, specifically entering the right atrium. From there, the blood moves to the right ventricle, which then pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. Understanding the role of the inferior vena cava is essential for grasping the circulatory system's function, particularly in how blood returns to the heart and gets oxygenated. Other options suggesting that the blood returns to the left side, to both sides, or that there is no return do not align with the anatomical and physiological knowledge of the circulatory system. The left side of the heart is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood to the body, while the right side receives deoxygenated blood from the body, making it the correct response to this question.