Arteries are strong tubes, or vessels, that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. When you think of arteries, you might think of some of the most often mentioned ones: the aorta and coronary arteries in the heart, and the carotid artery in the neck. However, there are more than 20 arteries throughout the body, which then branch out into many smaller tubes. This extensive network carries blood to all parts of the body.
Each artery is made up of three layers: a smooth layer on the inside, a thick layer of muscle in the middle, and a rough layer on the outside. Arteries transport blood containing oxygen and nutrients to smaller tubes called arterioles, which then deliver blood to even smaller vessels called capillaries. Capillaries are tiny, thin blood vessels that allow oxygen and nutrients to flow to nearby tissue. After the oxygen and nutrients have been delivered to the body's tissues by the capillaries, another network in the body carries blood back to the heart. Small tubes called venules pick up the now oxygen-poor blood and transfer it to the veins, which carry it to the heart. Once the blood has returned to the heart and been pumped through the lungs to remove carbon dioxide and receive oxygen, it is pumped back into the rest of the body and starts the process again.
As your blood travels through your body, it undergoes another important process: waste filtration. When blood leaves the body's tissues to travel back to the heart and lungs it carries excess nutrients and other items that your body cannot use. Your kidneys filter these waste products out of your blood. Blood passes through the renal arteries, which are arteries that lead to your kidneys.
The arteries throughout the body support many systems and are critical to cardiovascular health. Your arteries are strong and flexible, but they can become less effective over time. A substance called plaque can build up in the arteries, restricting blood flow and ultimately stopping or blocking it altogether. This can lead to serious cardiovascular disease and cause heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. Making healthy lifestyle decisions and seeking out timely medical care can help prevent, manage, and even correct diseases of the arteries.