What do arteries do for the body

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Blood and blood vessels. Home Blood and blood vessels. Circulatory system. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet.

On this page. All cells in the body need to have oxygen and nutrients, and they need their wastes removed. These are the main roles of the circulatory system. The heart, blood and blood vessels work together to service the cells of the body.

Using the network of arteries, veins and capillaries, blood carries carbon dioxide to the lungs for exhalation and picks up oxygen. From the small intestine, the blood gathers food nutrients and delivers them to every cell. Blood Blood consists of: Red blood cells — to carry oxygen White blood cells — that make up part of the immune system Platelets — needed for clotting Plasma — blood cells, nutrients and wastes float in this liquid.

The heart The heart pumps blood around the body. It sits inside the chest, in front of the lungs and slightly to the left side. The heart is actually a double pump made up of four chambers, with the flow of blood going in one direction due to the presence of the heart valves. Does pregnancy increase risk for DVT? We explain ways to reduce your risk for this rare complication.

Blood clotting is a good thing, because it can stop you from bleeding. But when abnormal blood clots form within a vein or artery, it can create…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Arteries of the Body Medically reviewed by J. Arteries and your circulatory system. Major arteries of the body. Head and neck arteries.

Share on Pinterest Arteries in the head and neck. Torso arteries. Share on Pinterest Arteries of the lungs, heart, pelvis, and the aorta in the abdomen.

Abdomen arteries. Arteries of the arms. Arteries of the legs. Quick guide to arteries vs. The bottom line. Medically reviewed by J. Automated vs. Read this next. Blood Pressure Readings Explained. This can cause stroke or transient ischemic attack TIA. TIA is a short-term loss of blood flow to an area of the brain. It usually last less than 5 minutes but not longer than 24 hours, with complete recovery.

Peripheral arterial disease. This may cause claudication. This is pain in the thigh, calf, or buttocks that occurs when walking. It can also cause critical limb ischemia. This is lack of blood supply and oxygen to the limb or leg at rest. Vascular disease of the great vessels.

This can cause an aortic aneurysm. This is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel due to an abnormal widening or ballooning. It can also cause coarctation of the aorta. This is narrowing of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. It can also cause Takayasu arteritis. This is a rare inflammatory disease that affects the aorta and its branches. Thoracic vascular disease. It can cause thoracic aortic aneurysm.

This is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel. It causes an abnormal widening or ballooning in the chest thoracic part of the aorta. Abdominal vascular disease. It can cause an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

It causes an abnormal widening or ballooning in the belly abdominal part of the aorta. Peripheral venous disease. This can cause deep vein thrombosis DVT. DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein in the muscles of the leg. This disease can also cause varicose veins. Lymphatic vascular diseases. These can cause lymphedema. This is swelling caused by problems of the normal draining of the lymph nodes.

Vascular diseases of the lungs. These can cause granulomatosis with polyangiitis. This is an uncommon disease in which the blood vessels are inflamed. It mainly affects the respiratory tract and the kidneys.

Other diseases include angiitis inflammation of blood vessels and hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease. This is high blood pressure in the lungs' blood flow. Renal kidney vascular diseases. These can cause renal artery stenosis blockage of a renal artery. They can also cause fibromuscular dysplasia.

This is a condition that weakens the walls of medium-sized arteries.