blood vessel
Pathway for circulation
A blood vessel is a tube that carries blood through the body—arteries, veins, and capillaries form the network.
The term appears in medical contexts and everyday speech: Exercise keeps your blood vessels healthy.
Burst blood vessels cause bruising; blocked ones cause strokes and heart attacks.
Oxygen-rich blood conduit
- veinVessel toward heart
- capillarySmallest blood vessel
- aortaChief arterial trunk
- arterioleSmallest arterial branch
venule · endothelium · vasculature · carotid · jugular · femoral · pulmonary · coronary
Arterial plaque accumulation disease
- aneurysmArterial wall bulge
- thrombosisClot forming in vessel
- embolismObstruction in blood vessel
- stenosisAbnormal bodily narrowing
occlusion · varicose · hemorrhage · ischemia · infarction · dissection · plaque · calcification
Fluid delivery to tissue
- oxygenationAdding breathable gas
- pulseArterial blood throb
- vasoconstrictionArterial walls contracting inward
- vasodilationRelaxation of vessel walls
systemic · peripheral · microcirculation · arterial pressure · capillary bed · collateral · anastomosis · shunt
Procedure to widen vessels
- stentImplanted tube for blockages
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- catheterizationMedical tube insertion procedure
- angiographyImaging of blood vessels
embolization · sclerotherapy · ablation · graft · statins · anticoagulants · vasodilators · vascular surgery
Eliminating unwanted materials
- gas exchangeTransfer of respiratory molecules
- angiogenesisFormation of new vessels
- coagulationLiquid solidifying into mass
- hemostasisProcess that stops bleeding
permeability · elasticity · compliance · autoregulation · baroreceptor
artery
Oxygen-rich blood conduit
arteriole · venule · endothelium · vasculature · carotid · jugular · femoral · pulmonary · coronary · intima
atherosclerosis
Arterial plaque accumulation disease
- aneurysmArterial wall bulge
- thrombosisClot forming in vessel
- embolismObstruction in blood vessel
stenosis · occlusion · varicose · hemorrhage · ischemia · infarction · dissection · plaque · calcification · rupture
perfusion
Fluid delivery to tissue
- oxygenationAdding breathable gas
- pulseArterial blood throb
- vasoconstrictionArterial walls contracting inward
vasodilation · systemic · peripheral · microcirculation · arterial pressure · capillary bed · collateral · anastomosis · shunt · cardiac output
angioplasty
Procedure to widen vessels
- stentImplanted tube for blockages
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- catheterizationMedical tube insertion procedure
angiography · embolization · sclerotherapy · ablation · graft · statins · anticoagulants · vasodilators · vascular surgery
waste removal
Eliminating unwanted materials
- gas exchangeTransfer of respiratory molecules
- angiogenesisFormation of new vessels
- coagulationLiquid solidifying into mass
hemostasis · permeability · elasticity · compliance · autoregulation · baroreceptor
- blood vesselsarteries, artery, vein, veins, capillaries
- Dermis componentscollagen, elastin, fibroblasts, nerve ending, sweat gland
- body partsarm, leg, hand, back, chest
- anatomybrain, heart, bones, liver, stomach
- Circulatory Systemheart rate, artery, veins, capillary, arteries
- long shapestube, cylinder, rod, stick, pole
blood vessellymphatic
Of fluid-draining vessels
lacteal · airway · respiratory tract · nerve fiber · ureter
blood, vessel, bloody, bleeding, bloodline, blooded, bled, vessels, bloodthirsty