Veins and arteries are everywhere in your body. When a pulse is taken, it is usually taken at an artery in the neck or wrist. Explain why?
2007-01-25 12:55:40 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Because these are major arteries which are close enough to the skin to be easily detected.
2007-01-25 13:06:24 · answer #1 · answered by brooks b 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the reason a pulse is taken by palpating arteries is because the pulsing is more palpable there. In fact, I don't think you could feel a vein pulsing. Blood is ejected out of the left ventricle and into the aorta, from there is moves into the arteries, like the radial artery (wrist) and the external carotid (neck). Not until it makes its way through the arterioles, capillaries and veuoles does blood finally arrive in the veins. By then it is so far from the heart, it is hardly pulsing anymore. Also the blood in the veins is under such low pressure, pressing on them will easily occlude the flow of blood through them. Not dangerous, but blood is not flowing... much less pulsing.
2007-01-25 14:42:06 · answer #2 · answered by hufstabe 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not sure. I know the neck is chosen because it's the jugular, which is a very large blood vessel, so I suppose it makes it easier to feel. Not sure about the wrist though.
2007-01-25 13:06:07 · answer #3 · answered by Kim 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋