Artery

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Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.^[1] All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical arteries, carry oxygenated blood.

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life. Its proper functioning is responsible for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all cells, as well as the removal of carbon dioxide and waste products, maintenance of optimum pH, and the mobility of the elements, proteins and cells of the immune system. In developed countries, the two leading causes of death, myocardial infarction and stroke each may directly result from an arterial system that has been slowly and progressively compromised by years of deterioration. (See atherosclerosis).

Description

The arterial system is the higher-pressure portion of the circulatory system. Arterial pressure varies between the peak pressure during heart contraction, called the systolic pressure, and the minimum, or diastolic pressure between contractions, when the heart rests between cycles. This pressure variation within the artery produces the pulse which is observable in any artery, and reflects heart activity.

Anatomy

The outermost layer is known as the tunica externa formerly known as "tunica adventitia" and is composed of connective tissue. Inside this layer is the tunica media, or media, which is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue. The innermost layer, which is in direct contact with the flow of blood is the tunica intima, commonly called the intima. This layer is made up of mainly endothelial cells. The hollow internal cavity in which the blood flows is called the lumen.

Types of arteries

There are several types of arteries in the body:

Pulmonary arteries

The pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood that has just returned from the body to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen.

Systemic arteries

Systemic arteries deliver blood to the arterioles, and then to the capillaries, where nutrients and gasses are exchanged.

The Aorta

The aorta is the root systemic artery. It receives blood directly from the left ventricle of the heart via the aortic valve. As the aorta branches, and these arteries branch in turn, they become successively smaller in diameter, down to the arteriole. The arterioles supply capillaries which in turn empty into venules.

Arterioles

Arterioles, the smallest of the true arteries, help regulate blood pressure and deliver blood to the kidneys (capillaries).

Arterioles and blood pressure

Arterioles have the greatest collective influence on both local blood flow and on overall blood pressure. They are the primary "adjustable nozzles" in the blood system, across which the greatest pressure drop occurs. The combination of heart output (cardiac output) and systemic vascular resistance, which refers to the collective resistance of all of the body's arterioles, are the principal determinants of arterial blood pressure at any given moment.

Capillaries

The capillaries are where all of the important exchanges happen in the circulatory system. The capillaries are a single cell thick to aid fast and easy diffusion of gases, sugars and other nutrients to surrounding tissues.

Functions of capillaries

To withstand and adapt to the pressures within, arteries are surrounded by varying thicknesses of smooth muscle which have extensive elastic and inelastic connective tissues.

The pulse pressure, i.e. Systolic vs. Diastolic difference, is determined primarily by the amount of blood ejected by each heart beat, stroke volume, versus the volume and elasticity of the major arteries.

Over time, elevated arterial blood sugar (see Diabetes Mellitus), lipoprotein cholesterol, and pressure, smoking, and other factors are all involved in damaging both the endothelium and walls of the arteries, resulting in atherosclerosis or Diabetes Mellitus.

History

Among the ancient Greeks, the arteries were considered to be "air holders" that were responsible for the transport of air to the tissues and were connected to the trachea. This theory presumably arose from the fact that the arteries are empty after death: the last beat of the heart pushes the blood through the capillaries and into the veins.

In medieval times, it was recognized that arteries carried a fluid, called "spiritual blood" or "vital spirits", considered to be different from the contents of the veins. This theory went back to Galen. In the late medieval period, the trachea,^[2] and ligaments were also called "arteries".^[3]

William Harvey described and popularized the modern concept of the circulatory system and the roles of arteries and veins in the 17th century.

Alexis Carrel at the beginning of 20th century first described the technique for vascular suturing and anastomosis and successfully performed many organ transplantations in animals; he thus actually opened the way to modern vascular surgery that was before limited to vessels permanent ligatation.

References

See also

• Peripheral arteries
• Arterial tree
• Blood

v • d • e Cardiovascular system
Systemic circulation	Heart  → Aorta → Arteries → Arterioles → Capillaries → Venules → Veins → Vena cava → Heart
Pulmonary circulation	Heart → Pulmonary arteries → Lungs → Pulmonary vein → Heart

v • d • e List of arteries of head and neck
CC/EC	sup. thyroid superior laryngeal - sternocleidomastoid branch - infrahyoid branch - cricothyroid branch - glandular branches asc. pharyngeal posterior meningeal - pharyngeal branches - inferior tympanic lingual suprahyoid - dorsal lingual - deep lingual - sublingual facial cervical branches (ascending palatine, tonsillar, submental, glandular) - facial branches (inferior labial, superior labial/nasal septum, lateral nasal, angular) occipital sternocleidomastoid - meningeal - occipital - auricular - descending post. auricular stylomastoid - stapedial - auricular - occipital sup. temporal transverse facial - middle temporal (zygomatico-orbital) - anterior auricular - frontal - parietal maxillary 1st part/mandibular: anterior tympanic - deep auricular - middle meningeal (superior tympanic, petrosal) - accessory meningeal - inferior alveolar (mental, mylohyoid) 2nd part/pterygoid: to muscles of mastication (deep temporal, pterygoid, masseteric) - buccal 3rd part/pterygopalatine: posterior superior alveolar - infraorbital (anterior superior alveolar) - descending palatine (greater palatine, lesser palatine) - artery of the pterygoid canal - sphenopalatine (posterior septal branches, posterior lateral nasal)
CC/IC	cervical carotid sinus petrous Vidian - caroticotympanic cavernous/ ophthalmic orbital group: posterior ethmoidal - anterior ethmoidal (anterior septal, anterior lateral nasal, anterior meningeal) - lacrimal (lateral palpebral) - medial palpebral - terminal (supraorbital, supratrochlear, dorsal nasal) ocular group: central retinal - ciliary (short posterior, long posterior, anterior) - hypophysial (superior, inferior) cerebral/Willis ACA (anterior communicating) - MCA (anterolateral central, lenticulostriate) - posterior communicating - anterior choroidal
SC	vertebral artery meningeal - spinal (posterior, anterior) - cerebellar (PICA) basilar: pontine - labyrinthine - cerebellar (AICA, SCA) - cerebral (PCA) thyrocervical trunk inferior thyroid: inferior laryngeal - tracheal - esophageal - ascending cervical - pharyngeal - glandular branches transverse cervical: superficial branch - deep branch/dorsal scapular suprascapular: acromial branch costocervical trunk deep cervical

v • d • e List of arteries of upper limbs
Axillary	scapular anastomosis - 1st part superior thoracic - 2nd part thoracoacromial (deltoid branch) - lateral thoracic - 3rd part subscapular (circumflex scapular, thoracodorsal) - anterior humeral circumflex - posterior humeral circumflex
Brachial	profunda brachii (radial collateral, medial collateral) - ulnar collateral artery (superior, inferior)
Radial	forearm: radial recurrent wrist/carpus: dorsal carpal branch - palmar carpal branch hand: superficial palmar branch - princeps pollicis (radial of index finger)
Ulnar	forearm: ulnar recurrent (anterior, posterior) - common interosseous (anterior, posterior, recurrent) wrist/carpus: dorsal carpal branch - palmar carpal branch hand: deep palmar branch
Arches	dorsal carpal arch: dorsal metacarpal (dorsal digital) palmar carpal arch superficial palmar arch: common palmar digital (proper palmar digital) deep palmar arch: palmar metacarpal

v • d • e List of arteries of torso - chest
Pulmonary / coronary	right coronary: SA nodal - AV nodal - atrial - right marginal - posterior interventricular left coronary: anterior interventricular - left circumflex - left marginal
Ascending aorta	aortic arch - brachiocephalic (thyreoidea ima) - common carotid
Subclavian	internal thoracic: anterior intercostal - thymic - pericardiacophrenic - terminal (musculophrenic, superior epigastric) costocervical trunk: highest intercostal (posterior intercostal 1-2) - deep cervical
Descending / thoracic aorta	visceral: bronchial - esophageal - mediastinal parietal: posterior intercostal 3-11 - subcostal - superior phrenic

v • d • e List of arteries of torso - abdomen
AA: Anterior	celiac left gastric: esophageal branches splenic: pancreatic branches (greater, dorsal) – short gastric – left gastro-omental common hepatic: proper hepatic (cystic), right gastric, gastroduodenal (right gastro-omental, superior pancreaticoduodenal, supraduodenal) SMA inferior pancreaticoduodenal – intestinal (jejunal, ileal, arcades, vasa recta)  – ileocolic (colic, anterior cecal, posterior cecal, ileal branch, appendicular)  – right colic – middle colic IMA left colic – sigmoid – superior rectal – marginal
AA: Posterior	visceral: middle suprarenal – renal (inferior suprarenal, ureteral) – gonadal (testicular ♂/ovarian ♀) parietal: inferior phrenic (superior suprarenal) – lumbar – median sacral terminal: common iliac (IIA, EIA)
IIA: Anterior	umbilical (superior vesical, to ductus deferens) – middle rectal – obturator (anterior branch, posterior branch) – inferior gluteal (accompanying of ischiadic nerve, crucial anastomosis) uterine ♀ (helicine, vaginal of uterine, ovarian of uterine, tubal of uterine) – vaginal ♀/inferior vesical ♂ internal pudendal: inferior rectal – perineal (urethral) – posterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀ – bulb of penis ♂/vestibule ♀ – deep artery of the penis ♂ (helicine)/clitoris ♀ – dorsal of the penis ♂/clitoris ♀
IIA: Posterior	iliolumbar (lumbar, iliac) – lateral sacral – superior gluteal
EIA	inferior epigastric (cremasteric, round ligament) – deep circumflex iliac – femoral

v • d • e List of arteries of lower limbs
EI: Femoral	superficial epigastric - superficial iliac circumflex external pudendal: superficial - deep (anterior scrotal) profunda femoris: lateral circumflex femoral (descending, transverse, ascending) - medial circumflex femoral (ascending, superficial, deep, acetabular) - perforating descending genicular (saphenous branch, articular branches)
Popliteal	sural genicular: superior genicular (medial, lateral) - middle genicular - inferior genicular (medial, lateral)
Anterior tibial	tibial recurrent (posterior, anterior) anterior malleolar (medial, lateral) dorsalis pedis: tarsal (medial, lateral)
Posterior tibial	circumflex fibular - fibular medial plantar - lateral plantar
Arches	arcuate: dorsal metatarsal/first dorsal metatarsal - deep plantar - dorsal digital arteries plantar arch: plantar metatarsal - common plantar digital - proper plantar digital

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v • d • e WikiDoc Research Resources for Artery (Click show to right to view)
Articles on Artery	Most recent articles on Artery • Most cited articles on Artery • Review articles on Artery • Articles on Artery in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media (Slides, Video, Images, MP3) on Artery	Powerpoint slides on Artery • Images of Artery • Photos of Artery • Podcasts & MP3s on Artery • Videos on Artery
Evidence Based Medicine Regarding Artery	Cochrane Collaboration on Artery • Bandolier on Artery • TRIP on Artery
Cost Effectiveness of Artery	Cost Effectiveness of Artery
Clinical Trials Involving Artery	Ongoing Trials on Artery at Clinical Trials.gov • Trial results on Artery • Clinical Trials on Artery at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Government Resources (FDA/CDC) Regarding Artery	US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Artery • NICE Guidance on Artery • NHS PRODIGY Guidance • FDA on Artery • CDC on Artery
Textbook Information on Artery	Books and Textbook Information on Artery
Pharmacology Resources on Artery	Dosing of Artery • Drug interactions with Artery • Side effects of Artery • Allergic reactions to Artery • Overdose information on Artery • Carcinogenicity information on Artery • Artery in pregnancy • Pharmacokinetics of Artery •
Genetics, Pharmacogenomics, and Proteinomics of Artery	Genetics of Artery • Pharmacogenomics of Artery • Proteomics of Artery
Newstories on Artery	Artery in the news • Be alerted to news on Artery • News trends on Artery
Commentary on Artery	Blogs on Artery
Patient Resources on Artery	Patient resources on Artery • Discussion groups on Artery • Patient Handouts on Artery • Directions to Hospitals Treating Artery • Risk calculators and risk factors for Artery
Healthcare Provider Resources on Artery	Symptoms of Artery • Causes & Risk Factors for Artery • Diagnostic studies for Artery • Treatment of Artery
Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programs on Artery	CME Programs on Artery
International Resources on Artery	Artery en Espanol • Artery en Francais
Business Resources on Artery	Artery in the Marketplace • Patents on Artery
Informatics Resources on Artery	List of terms related to Artery

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