Let me share with you a difference between arteries and veins.
| Aspect | Arteries | Veins |
| Introduction | Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body tissues | Carry deoxygenated blood from the body tissues back to the heart |
| Oxygen level | Generally oxygenated | Generally deoxygenated |
| Blood Pressure | Higher blood pressure due to the forceful ejection of blood from the heart | Lower blood pressure as blood returns to the heart with reduced force |
| Wall thickness | Thick, muscular walls composed of smooth muscle and elastic tissue | Thinner walls with less smooth muscle and elastic tissue |
| Valves | No valves | Valves present |
| Diameter | Smaller lumen diameter | Larger lumen diameter |
| Elasticity | More elastic | Less elastic |
| Blood return mechanism | · Arterial blood is propelled by the force of the heart’s contraction | · Muscle contractions (muscular pump) · Respiratory movements (respiratory pump), and one-way valves |
| Examples | · Aorta · Carotid arteries · Coronary arteries | · Superior vena cava · Inferior vena cava · Pulmonary veins |