NOTES:

BLOOD
VESSELS –
Arteries and
Veins
 ARTERIAL SYSTEM
Major Arteries exiting the heart:
● PULMONARY ARTERIES (from heart to
lungs)

● AORTA
 AORTA:
● the aorta is the largest artery (diameter)
● the aorta can be divided into the:
*ASCENDING AORTA (as it emerges
from the heart)
*AORTIC ARCH
*DESCENDING AORTA
 Principal branches of the
AORTA:
● the major branches are the:
*CORONARY ARTERIES
(branch off from the base of
the ascending aorta)
*BRACHIOCEPHALIC
(branch of the aortic arch)
*LEFT COMMON CAROTID
(branch of the aortic arch)
*LEFT SUBCLAVIAN (branch
of the aortic arch)
 Principal branches of the
AORTA:
● the descending aorta gives rise to
the:
*THORACIC AORTA and
*ABDOMINAL AORTA
● the abdominal aorta gives rise to
the:
*R and L RENAL arteries (go to the
kidneys)
*R and L COMMON ILIAC arteries
 Arteries to the Neck, Head, and
Brain
● the brachiocephalic artery
branches into the:
R SUBCLAVIAN and
R COMMON CAROTID
● the L and R common carotid
arteries diverge into the:
*EXTERNAL CAROTID
ARTERY and *INTERNAL
CAROTID ARTERY
Arteries to the Shoulder and Arm
● the subclavian artery becomes the:
*AXILLARY ARTERY (wall of chest) –
which becomes the:
*BRACHIAL ARTERY (upper arm) –
which branches into the:
*ULNAR ARTERY (parallels the ulna) and
the
*RADIAL ARTERY (parallels the radius)
**as the radial artery nears the wrist, it
approaches the surface and provides a
convenient vessel for taking the “pulse”
(RADIAL PULSE)
 Arteries to the Pelvis and Legs
**RECALL: the abdominal aorta
branches into the R and L
common iliac arteries

● each common iliac

artery divides into an:
*INTERNAL ILIAC
ARTERY
*EXTERNAL ILIAC
ARTERY (main blood
supply to lower limbs)
 Arteries to the Pelvis and Legs
● the external iliac artery becomes the:
*FEMORAL ARTERY – which becomes the:
*POPLITEAL ARTERY (knee joint)

● the popliteal artery divides

into the:
*ANTERIOR and
POSTERIOR TIBIAL
ARTERIES
 VENOUS SYSTEM
Characteristics of Venous Pathways:

veins return blood to the heart

many veins are hard to follow/identify b/c
they connect in irregular pathways

the larger veins typically parallel the
arteries (and have the same names as
their arterial counterparts)

(e.g.: renal vein parallels the renal artery;

common iliac vein parallels the common iliac
artery, etc.)
Major Veins entering the heart:
● PULMONARY
VEINS (from lungs
to heart)

● SUPERIOR VENA
CAVA and
INFERIOR VENA
CAVA (both drain
into the R atrium)
 Veins from the Brain, Head, and Neck:
● JUGULAR VEINS:

EXTERNAL JUGULAR (R and L): drain blood
from the face, scalp, and superficial neck
-drain into the R and L SUBCLAVIAN VEINS

INTERNAL JUGULAR (R and L): larger than

external; drain blood from the brain, deep face/neck
-drain into the R and L BRACHIOCEPHALIC
VEINS
**all of these vessels then merge and give rise to the
SUPERIOR VENA CAVA
R atrium!
 Veins from the Arm and
Shoulder:
*veins here generally parallel
the arteries in each region:
RADIAL VEIN & ULNAR
VEIN

BRACHIAL VEIN

AXILLARY VEIN

SUBCLAVIAN VEIN

BRACHIOCEPHALIC
VEIN
Veins from the Abdominal
Cavity:
● RENAL VEINS: drain
the kidneys

● HEPATIC VEINS:
drain the liver

● carry blood to the

INFERIOR VENA
CAVA
 Veins from the Legs and Pelvis:
*veins here generally parallel the arteries in
each region:
ANT. & POST. TIBIAL VEINS

POPLITEAL VEIN

FEMORAL VEIN

EXTERNAL ILIAC VEIN (which joins with
the INTERNAL ILIAC VEIN)

COMMON ILIAC VEIN
 Also from the legs…
**GREAT (GREATER)
SAPHENOUS VEIN:
longest vein in the body;
runs upward along the
medial side of the leg
and thigh; penetrates
deep into the thigh and
joins with the femoral
artery
Great Saphenous
Vein