Artery
An artery is a crucial type of blood vessel that transports oxygen-rich blood from the heart to various parts of the body, playing a vital role in the circulatory system of humans and many other animals. These flexible, muscular tubes are designed to withstand the high pressure of blood flow while remaining adaptable to the body’s movements. Arteries vary in size and structure, with the largest being the aorta, which branches into smaller arteries and ultimately into capillaries that deliver blood to individual cells. The arterial walls consist of three layers: an outer supportive layer, a middle muscular layer for pressure management, and an innermost layer that allows for smooth blood passage.
While arteries are essential for life, they can be susceptible to medical conditions such as atherosclerosis, where cholesterol buildup leads to blockages that may result in serious health issues like heart attacks or strokes. To address these problems, medical science has developed a range of treatments, including medications to manage cholesterol and clotting, as well as surgical interventions such as stenting or replacing damaged arteries. Understanding the function and potential health issues related to arteries is key to maintaining overall cardiovascular health.
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Artery
An artery is a kind of blood vessel, or a flexible muscular tube that allows blood to flow inside the body. Arteries form an integral part of the circulatory systems in humans and many other animals that allow cells throughout the body to receive the blood they need to survive. Most arteries carry clean blood that is full of oxygen to the cells, while other kinds of blood vessels remove blood that has been depleted of oxygen.
Arteries are structured to be strong enough to withstand the high pressure of pumping blood as well as flexible enough to move with the body and avoid damage. Arteries occur in most parts of the body and work with other arteries and blood vessels of varying sizes to deliver blood wherever needed.
Many people experience medical conditions related to their arteries that may involve clots, clogging, or inflammation. In serious cases, these problems may lead to life-threatening strokes or heart attacks. Medical scientists have developed medication plans and surgeries that may treat or correct such arterial ailments.
Background
Humans and most other animals need blood to live. The heart pumps blood throughout the body. This blood delivers needed nutrients and oxygen to the body's cells and removes waste materials from these cells. The heart and the blood vessels (the various tubes inside the body that carry blood) work together to form an essential part of the circulatory system. As the name implies, the circulatory system works to circulate blood to and from the heart and throughout the body.
There are several kinds of blood vessels. The largest kinds are arteries and veins. Most arteries carry clean blood full of oxygen and nutrients from the heart to other parts of the body. Alternately, most veins carry blood depleted of oxygen from various parts of the body back to the heart. (One set of blood vessels, known as the pulmonary system, works in reverse, however. The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the body while the pulmonary artery returns oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.) The pumping of the heart and the motion of blood through blood vessels is a constant cycle that is necessary to sustain life.
There are two main kinds of circulatory systems in the human body. One is the pulmonary system, which connects the heart and lungs and allows inhaled oxygen to enter the bloodstream. The other system is the systemic system, which moves blood to and from all the other tissues, cells, and organs of the body. Both systems are assisted by arteries, veins, and an array of smaller blood vessels, such as capillaries and venules, which are narrow tubes that allow small amounts of blood to reach different parts of the body. The human body contains thousands of miles of blood vessels, many of which are thinner than a hair.
Overview
Arteries are an essential means of transporting blood throughout the body. They are located in most parts of the body except for the hair, nails, cartilage, and other areas that do not require a direct flow of blood. Arteries are essential to life, so the main arteries usually develop deep inside the body where they will be best protected from damage.
The arteries vary in size, length, and region, but they are all designed to move blood efficiently. They are elastic, allowing them to bend in many directions without impeding blood flow. They are also muscular, giving them the strength to withstand the high pressure of the blood pumped by the heart.
Arteries have a three-layer internal structure. The outermost layer, called the adventitia, is a tough membrane made of fibers that support the arterial structure as well as help the artery bond with surrounding body tissue. The middle layer, the media, is made of fibrous and muscular elements meant to handle the pressure of the flowing blood. The innermost layer, the intima, is lined with smooth tissue with many small openings. This layer is designed to allow blood to pass along with the greatest ease.
The arrangement of arteries in the body is often likened to a tree with many branches. The largest artery is the aorta, which connects directly to the heart. The aorta serves as the "trunk," and from it branch networks of smaller arteries that extend in many directions throughout the body. These branches, smaller than the aorta, are called arterioles. The arterioles lead to networks of smaller and more numerous vessels called capillaries. The capillaries, the narrowest blood vessels connected to the arteries, have the task of actually bringing blood to the cells.
Arteries extend throughout the body from head to toe and hand to hand. Some of the arteries include the carotid in the neck; the coronary near the heart; the radial and ulnar in the arms; and the femoral and popliteal in the legs. The arteries communicate with one another to regulate the arrival and removal of blood from the various parts of the body.
Given their constant use, arteries are prone to damage and disease. Many people experience medical conditions related to their arteries. One of the most common is atherosclerosis, which involves a buildup of a wax-like substance called cholesterol, generally derived from food, along the inner walls of the artery. The buildup may eventually form a blockage of the artery that keeps blood from reaching the heart or brain, potentially resulting in a heart attack or stroke. Other arterial diseases may involve inflammation or blood clots within arteries.
Medical science has developed many tests and treatments to help alleviate the danger of arterial malfunction. Doctors may treat ailing arteries with medications or surgery. Generally, medications are meant to lower cholesterol, reduce clotting in arteries, or even dissolve clots. Surgeries often take place in emergencies and may involve using small mesh tubes called stents or even replacement blood vessels to allow circulation through or around blocked arteries.
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