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.