Arteries: The Vessels That Carry Blood Away From the Heart

Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues (the pulmonary artery is the exception, carrying deoxygenated blood to the lungs). Their thick, muscular walls withstand high pressure generated by the heart's pumping action.

In contrast, veins return deoxygenated blood to the heart under low pressure, and capillaries facilitate exchange at the tissue level.