Smaller arteries branch off of the aorta and go up to your head. ... ‌Your blood loses oxygen as it travels through your arteries. Veins carry the blood back to your heart to absorb more oxygen.

How Arteries Differ From Veins. Arteries and veins are both types of blood vessels. However, they have several important ...

Unlike arteries, veins contain valves that prevent backward flow as blood travels against gravity, particularly in the legs. When these valves weaken or fail, circulation problems often develop.

Your heart pumps blood and oxygen to all of the organs and tissues of the body through a network of “pipes” called arteries and veins. The heart muscle needs oxygen-rich blood to do its job. The ...