Because arteries are moving blood being pumped out by the heart, the walls of arteries are thicker and more elastic than those of veins. This is because the blood in the arteries is passing through with a higher pressure than in veins. The thick, elastic walls of arteries accommodate that pressure. Arteries can also be divided into elastic and muscular arteries based off of the material of their tunica media or middle layer.
Arteries come in a variety of sizes. The largest artery of the body is the aorta, which begins at the heart. As they move further from the heart, arteries branch off and become increasingly smaller.
The smallest arteries are called arterioles. Arterioles connect to capillaries, which are the smallest blood vessels and are where the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste occurs between the blood and the cells of the body. After this exchange occurs, the blood enters the venous system , where it travels back toward the heart.
Below are some of the major arteries that are found in the body and the organs and tissues that they service. The largest and most important artery in the circulatory system is the aorta.
The aorta is connected to your heart via the aortic valve. The arteries are blood vessels in the circulatory system that move blood away from the heart. This occurs through two different circuits. The systemic circuit supplies the organs and tissues of the body with oxygen and other nutrients.
The pulmonary circuit allows blood to acquire fresh oxygen while getting rid of carbon dioxide. Damaged or narrowed arteries can lead to the body not getting an adequate blood supply, which can put you at risk for things such as heart attack or stroke. But what does that mean? Checking your blood pressure at home with a manual or automated device can help you monitor your health between doctor visits. Staying active can help protect your heart as you age.
Welcome to the Vascular Society. Our website uses cookies and we may collect or process personal information about you. You can read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy by clicking here where we explain to you how we use cookies and how we may use your personal information. The circulatory system is made up of vessels and muscles that help and control the flow of the blood around the body.
This process is called circulation. The main parts of the system are the heart, arteries, capillaries and veins. The circulatory system does a very important job in your body. It carries oxygen and essential nutrients to all cells around the body in arteries and carries the waste products and carbon dioxide in veins. The average human body contains over 60, miles of blood vessels. What is an artery? Arteries are the pipes that carry blood, rich with oxygen and nutrients, away from the heart.
As the blood travels round the arteries, it branches off to be able to deliver oxygen and nutrients to specific cells. The blood in your arteries is bright red and is under high pressure as the heart pumps it around the body. What is a vein? Veins are the pipes that carry deoxygenated blood and waste products around the body.
As cells use the oxygen and nutrients delivered by the arteries they create waste products, such as carbon dioxide. The veins then pick up this waste and deliver it around the body for it to be disposed of and then deliver the deoxygenated blood back to the heart. The blood in your veins is under considerably less pressure than in your arteries as it is moving upward back to your heart. Veins have valves in them to stop the blood flowing backwards. What is plaque? Plaque is a build of fat, calcium, cholesterol and other waste products found in your blood.
It is very sticky and sticks to the walls of your arteries. The build up of plaque takes many years and hardens as it ages.
It narrows your blood vessels and makes it harder for the oxygenated blood to flow around your body and deliver nutrients to your organs. The slow build-up of plaque is caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high blood cholesterol, and other modifiable risk factors. The common vascular problems are caused by a slow and gradual thickening of the arteries, sometimes referred to as "furring up"; "hardening" or "clogging" up of the arteries.
The technical name for this is atherosclerosis. Certain arteries become less flexible, they lose their elasticity over time.
This makes them less able to withstand the pressure of the pulse generated by the heart. These arteries, veins, and capillaries make for a vast network of pipes. If you were to lay out all the blood vessels of the body in a line, they would stretch for nearly 60, miles. Blood vessels flow blood throughout the body. Arteries transport blood away from the heart.
Veins return blood back toward the heart. Capillaries surround body cells and tissues to deliver and absorb oxygen, nutrients, and other substances. The capillaries also connect the branches of arteries and to the branches of veins. The walls of most blood vessels have three distinct layers: the tunica externa, the tunica media, and the tunica intima. These layers surround the lumen, the hollow interior through which blood flows. The left ventricle of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta.
From there, blood passes through major arteries, which branch into muscular arteries and then microscopic arterioles. The arterioles branch into the capillary networks that supply tissues with oxygen and nutrients.
The walls of arteries are thicker than the walls of veins, with more smooth muscle and elastic tissue. This structure allows arteries to dilate as blood pumps through them. After the capillaries release oxygen and other substances from blood into body tissues, they feed the blood back toward the veins.
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