Many of the patients we see want to have a better understanding of the difference between an artery and a vein. The first portion of the circulation involves arteries. These are the stronger, thicker walled blood vessels that lead out of the heart which are responsible for distributing bright red blood, full of oxygen, to our vital organs, skin, bones and muscles.
These arteries distribute out like branches of a tree, becoming smaller and thinner until they become so small, they only can be seen with a microscope.
It is the arteries so many treatments and medications are directed towards. All of the cholesterol lowering drugs, blood pressure drugs, and blood thinners have been developed with the arterial system in mind.
Furthermore, a blockage of an artery usually results in a severe problem such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, or gangrene of the intestine or a limb. As expected, there are numerous tests and treatments to prevent this from happening. The pressure pushing blood through them is not as great. In fact, there are valves within the lumen of veins to prevent the backflow of blood. Capillaries are tiny vessels that branch out from arterioles to form networks around body cells. In the lungs, capillaries absorb oxygen from inhaled air into the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide for exhalation.
Elsewhere in the body, oxygen and other nutrients diffuse from blood in the capillaries to the tissues they supply. The capillaries absorb carbon dioxide and other waste products from the tissues and then flow the deoxygenated blood into the veins. The blood moving through the circulatory system puts pressure on the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure results from the blood flow force generated by the pumping heart and the resistance of the blood vessel walls.
When the heart contracts, it pumps blood out through the arteries. The blood pushes against the vessel walls and flows faster under this high pressure. When the ventricles relax, the vessel walls push back against the decreased force. Blood flow slows down under this low pressure. Download Blood Vessels Lab Manuals. See more from our free eBook library. Functions of the Blood. Learn why this happens, as well as other causes of white patches on your tongue. The location, hardness, and other characteristics of a pea-sized lump may determine whether the cause is temporary or if you should see the doctor….
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