Why does it take longer to withdraw blood from an artery than it does a vain?

Question

And YES, you can withdraw blood from both. If you didn't know this then please dont answer.

Answer 1

All of the reasons given are valid. Also, the artery walls are thicker, meant to take more pressure, so trying to get a needle into them (smaller, thicker, pulsing, higher pressurized) means more work. They are also deeper, so it is harder to locate them, usually.

I had a doc try to do an arterial blood gas stick on me when I was poisoned once. They were trying to take it from the back of my hand, between the knuckles. Very painful and very very hard to keep the stick. I asked them why they were doing it. They explained that the symptoms I was exhibiting were also the same as carbon monoxide poisoning. I told them I would sign ANYTHING if they would stop trying to stick me there.

I had brought in a bag of the mushrooms we had consumed (jack o'lanterns) thinking they were chanterelles. Projectile vomitting three hours afterward. No mistaking what caused it. Anyway, the liver function came back pretty well in a week.

My experience with an artery stick.

Answer 2

Veins are easier to take blood from because they don't pulse, and they have valves.
Blood rushing through an artery pulses in time with the heart beat - this is why you can take arterial blood pressure, but not veinous, so drawing blood from an artery will fill the syringe in spurts.
Veins also have valves along them, to stop blood falling back down into your hands and feet, so for short periods of time you have little tiny pools of veinous blood that your doctor can draw from.

Answer 3

Because a vain is full of itself, while an artery is just doing its job of providing a passage for the blood.

Answer 4

Veins anatomically are closer to the surface of the arm than arteries and plus true you can draw blood from veins and arteries but because arteries are deeper in the body than veins you greatly increase your chances of fatality if you draw from arteries and it's harder to stop an artery from bleeding than it is to stop a vein. An Artery is carrying fresh blood to the peripheral areas of the body and are deeper in the body than veins.

Answer 5

bcuz ateries carry blood away fro the heart and are thefore are at a much higher presuure than blood in the veins which carry blood to the heart

Answer 6

BECASUE AN ARTERY IS SMALLER THAN A VEIN