Identifying Arteries and Veins
Arteries are located deeper in the body than veins and so are not visible as many of your veins are. You’ll know you hit an artery if:
- The plunger of your syringe is forced back by the pressure of the blood.
- When you register, the blood in your syringe is bright red and ‘gushing.
Risks of Injecting Medication into Arteries
Intra-arterial drug injection may cause vessel injury by one of several mechanisms. The vessel may be obstructed by inert particles or drug crystals. Hemolysis, platelet aggregation, vasospasm, and venous thrombosis are the other contributory factors. All this leads to acute thrombosis of the artery.
Differences Between Arteries and Veins
Your arteries are thicker and stretchier to be able to handle the higher pressure of blood moving through them. Your veins are thinner and less stretchy. This structure helps veins move higher amounts of blood over a longer time than arteries.
Additional Notes on Arteries
IVs are always placed in veins, not arteries, allowing the medication to move through the bloodstream to the heart.