radial artery

Examples of radial artery in the following topics:

• Pulse

  • Pulse is a measurement of heart rate by touching and counting beats at several body locations, typically at the wrist radial artery.
  • Pulse rate or velocity is usually measured either at the wrist from the radial artery and is recorded as beats per minute (bpm).
  • Other common measurement locations include the carotid artery in the neck and popliteal artery behind the knee
  • The pulse deficit (difference between heartbeats and pulsations at the periphery) is determined by simultaneous palpation at the radial artery and auscultation at the heart apex.
  • Measurement of the pulse can occur at several locations, including the radial artery shown here.

• Checking Circulation

  • Radial pulse is commonly measured using three fingers: the finger closest to the heart is used to occlude the pulse pressure, the middle finger is used to get a crude estimate of blood pressure, and the finger most distal to the heart is used to nullify the effect of the ulnar pulse as the two arteries are connected via the palmar arches.
  • Hypertension refers to abnormally high arterial pressure, as opposed to hypotension, when it is abnormally low.
  • Listening with the stethoscope to the brachial artery at the elbow, the examiner slowly releases the pressure in the cuff.
  • When blood just starts to flow in the artery, the turbulent flow creates a "whooshing" or pounding (first Korotkoff sound).
  • The cuff pressure is further released until no sound can be heard (fifth Korotkoff sound), at the diastolic arterial pressure.

• Muscular Arteries

  • Distributing arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into resistance vessels.
  • Muscular or distributing arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into resistance vessels, including small arteries and arterioles.
  • The splenic artery (lienal artery), the blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the spleen, is an example of a muscular artery.
  • It branches from the celiac artery and follows a course superior to the pancreas.
  • Transverse section of the human spleen showing the distribution of the splenic artery and its branches

• Veins of the Upper Limbs

  • The major deep veins of the arm are the radial and ulnar veins, which run along the length of their respective bones and merge at the elbow to form the paired brachial vein.
  • The brachial vein runs from the elbow up to the shoulder parallel to the brachial artery.

• Arteries of the Pelvis and Lower Limbs

  • The abdominal aorta divides into the major arteries of the leg: the femoral, popliteal, tibial, dorsal foot, plantar, and fibular arteries.
  • The pelvic cavity is largely supplied by the paired internal iliac arteries, formed when the common iliac artery divides the internal iliac artery at the vertebral level L5 descends inferiorly into the lesser pelvis.
  • The external iliac artery passes into the thigh, becoming the femoral artery.
  • Key branches include the obturator artery, the inferior vesical artery in men and the equivalent vaginal artery in females, and the rectal and gluteal arteries.
  • The posterior trunk gives rise to arteries that supply the posterior pelvic wall and the gluteal region, including the iliolumbar artery that supplies the psoas major muscle, the lateral sacral arteries, and the superior gluteal artery.

• Artery Function

  • Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart under pressure.
  • As with veins, arteries are comprised of three layers: the tunicae intima, media, and externa.
  • This pressure variation within the artery produces the observable pulse that reflects heart activity.
  • Larger arteries are typically elastic and smaller arteries are more likely to be muscular.
  • Distinguish the function of the arterial system from that of venous system

• Elastic Arteries

  • Elastic arteries contain larger numbers of collagen and elastin filaments in their tunica media than muscular arteries do, giving them the ability to stretch in response to each pulse.
  • Elastic arteries include the largest arteries in the body, those closest to the heart, and give rise to the smaller muscular arteries.
  • The pulmonary arteries, the aorta, and its branches together comprise the body's system of elastic arteries.
  • In elastic arteries, the tunica media is rich with elastic and connective tissue.
  • The aorta makes up most of the elastic arteries in the body.

• Development of the Heart

  • The human arterial and venous systems develop from different embryonic areas.
  • Approximately 30 posterolateral branches arise from the aorta to form the intercostal arteries, upper and lower extremity arteries, lumbar arteries, and lateral sacral arteries.
  • The ventral branches of the aorta consist of the vitelline arteries and umbilical arteries.
  • The vitelline arteries form the celiac, superior, and inferior mesenteric arteries of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • After birth, the umbilical arteries form the internal iliac arteries.

• Anastomoses

  • Circulatory anastomoses are named based on the vessels they join: two arteries (arterio-arterial anastomosis), two veins (veno-venous anastomosis), or between an artery and a vein (arterio-venous anastomosis).
  • Anastomoses between arteries and anastomoses between veins result in a multitude of arteries and veins serving the same volume of tissue.
  • Coronary artery anastomoses.
  • If one coronary artery is obstructed by an atheroma, a degradation of the arterial walls, the second artery is still able to supply oxygenated blood to the myocardium.
  • Blood flows up to the brain through the vertebral arteries and through the internal carotid arteries.

• The Aorta and Its Branches

  • The aorta is the largest artery in the systemic circulatory system.
  • The aorta is an elastic artery, meaning it is able to distend.
  • The ascending aorta has two small branches, the left and right coronary arteries.
  • The arch of the aorta has three branches: the brachiocephalic artery, which itself divides into right common carotid artery and the right subclavian artery, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery.
  • These arteries provide blood to both arms and the head.