Which vessels are thick-walled, carry blood away from the heart, and have a palpable pulse?

Which vessels are thick-walled, carry blood away from the heart, and have a palpable pulse?

• A. Veins
• B. Capillaries
• C. Venules
• D. Arteries

Answer: (D)

Arteries are the vessels described here. They have thick walls with a large tunica media packed with smooth muscle and elastic fibers, which lets them withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped from the heart and helps maintain blood flow between beats. Because that blood is ejected with each heartbeat, arteries experience a pressure wave that creates a palpable pulse, especially in superficial locations like the wrist or neck. In contrast, veins have thinner walls and carry blood back to the heart, often with valves to prevent backflow and without a detectable pulse. Capillaries are ultra-thin-walled vessels where exchange occurs, so they don’t have a thick wall or a pulse. Venules are small veins with thin walls and also don’t show a palpable pulse. So the vessel type matching all three features—thick-walled, carries blood away from the heart, and has a palpable pulse—is arteries.

Arteries are the vessels described here. They have thick walls with a large tunica media packed with smooth muscle and elastic fibers, which lets them withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped from the heart and helps maintain blood flow between beats. Because that blood is ejected with each heartbeat, arteries experience a pressure wave that creates a palpable pulse, especially in superficial locations like the wrist or neck. In contrast, veins have thinner walls and carry blood back to the heart, often with valves to prevent backflow and without a detectable pulse. Capillaries are ultra-thin-walled vessels where exchange occurs, so they don’t have a thick wall or a pulse. Venules are small veins with thin walls and also don’t show a palpable pulse. So the vessel type matching all three features—thick-walled, carries blood away from the heart, and has a palpable pulse—is arteries.