Arteries and Veins

Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. Usually, that blood is oxygenated (except for when it’s headed to the lungs to get oxygen).

Veins carry blood towards the heart. Usually that blood is deoxygenated (except when headed from the lungs to the heart).

The picture is black and white because people are used to seeing the arteries depicted as red and the veins depicted as blue. Kinda makes sense that veins, which carry deoxygenated blood, are depicted as blue. That and the fact that veins are usually closer to the skin than arteries. When the light hits the blood in the veins, it appears blue. You usually can’t see the arteries close to the skin except for in the places where we typically check your pulse. Other differences - the inside tube is larger in a vein. The outer tube is more muscular in an artery. Veins have valves to help move the blood along.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not take the place of medical advice.