NCLEX Cardiovascular System Practice Test

The pericardium’s job is to surround and protect the heart. It forms a fibrous sac around the heart and a serous inner lining that creates a small amount of lubricating fluid. This setup keeps the heart properly positioned in the chest, reduces friction with each beat, and limits how much the heart can stretch when venous return is high.

Pumping blood is the job of the heart muscle itself (the myocardium), while regulating heartbeat comes from the heart’s electrical conduction system and autonomic input. Storing blood isn’t a function of the pericardium.