Arteries vs. Veins: What's the Difference?
Read the comparison below, or explore it visually. Create a visual lesson comparing arteries and veins using available credits or plan allowance.
Arteries carry blood away from the heart, and veins carry it back. Because each heartbeat pushes blood into the arteries at high pressure, they have thick, muscular, elastic walls. By the time blood reaches the veins its pressure is low, so veins have thinner walls, wider channels and one-way valves that stop blood from flowing backwards.
At a glance
| Arteries | Veins | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction of flow | Away from the heart to the body and lungs | From the body and lungs back to the heart |
| Blood pressure | High and pulsing with each heartbeat | Low and steady |
| Wall structure | Thick, muscular and elastic; narrow lumen | Thinner, less muscular; wide lumen |
| Valves | None along their length | Valves, especially in the limbs, stop backflow |
| Usual blood type | Oxygen-rich (except the pulmonary artery) | Oxygen-poor (except the pulmonary veins) |
Which should you use?
Arteries are what a doctor feels when checking your pulse at the wrist, where the radial artery runs close to the skin and throbs with each heartbeat.
Veins are what a lab technician uses for a routine blood test, because they lie near the surface, carry blood at low pressure and are easy to puncture safely.