Pulmonary artery
(Redirected from Arteriae pulmonales)
Pulmonary artery refers to the artery that carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. It is one of the few arteries in the human body that carries deoxygenated blood, with the other being the umbilical arteries in the fetus.
Anatomy[edit | edit source]
The pulmonary artery begins at the base of the heart's right ventricle. It is short and wide - approximately 5 cm (2 inches) in length and 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter. It then branches into two, with the left pulmonary artery supplying blood to the left lung and the right pulmonary artery supplying blood to the right lung. These further divide into smaller arteries and arterioles to reach the pulmonary capillaries where gas exchange occurs.
Function[edit | edit source]
The primary function of the pulmonary artery is to transport deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Here, carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is absorbed. The oxygenated blood then returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins to be pumped to the rest of the body.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Diseases of the pulmonary artery can be serious and life-threatening. These include pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism, and congenital heart defects involving the pulmonary artery. Diagnosis and treatment of these conditions often involve a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
| Pulmonary artery Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
