Anatomy & Physiology of the Vein

Anatomy & Physiology of the Vein

This information about veins IS in Gray's Anatomy and Guyton's Physiology (as well as other A&P texts used at the graduate or medical school levels).

However, this information is not in the nursing, lab, phlebotomy, or x-ray programs textbooks.

Vein Access Technologies is the only program which includes this information in ALL our texts - How to Locate a Healthy Vein and in Part 1 of our

profession-specific books.

If you currently draw blood, start IVs, inject contrast intravenously, or work for a blood donation organization . . . .

You definitely need to know this Vein Anatomy & Physiology!

There are 3 things about the vein that need to be described and discussed in regards to vein access -

                                    1. the lumen (the space within an artery or vein)
                                    2. the vein wall thinness and the vein wall layers
                                    3. the innervation of the vein wall.

1. Compare the lumen of the vein to the lumen of the artery.

    The lumen of this vein is very large, holding LOTS of blood.  This will make it
    very easy to locate when you palpate because it will have the same bounce
    as a long skinny water balloon. (The artery does not.)

2. Compare the thin vein wall to the thick arterial wall.

   Also, notice that all blood vessel walls (arteries and veins) have 3 layers to the wall (intima, media, adventitia).
   The middle layer (media) is composed of smooth muscle. This muscle layer has a very important function in #3.
   The thin vein wall makes it a very pliable structure - just like the wall of the water balloon.

3. The walls of all blood vessels are INNERVATED - they have NERVE ENDINGS - they can F E E L HOT, COLD, (gentle) TOUCH and PAIN;
     and the muscle in the wall will react to those stimuli in a specific and predictable manner - they will vaso-D I L A T E or vaso-C O N S T R I C T.

Veins have "feelings" too!

Hot (heat) dilates. Touch (gentle) dilates.

Cold constricts. Pain constricts.

So, what does this have to do with vein access? Well currently, many health care professionals will smak, slap, flick,
or tap the vein with the intention of making the vein larger. BUT, after learning the anatomy and physiology of the vein,

YOU now know that pain will cause vasoCONSTRICTION - the exact opposite of their intention.

So, how do you get the vein to dilate?

You should palpate the vein to dilate it.

Learn how by starting with Locate a Healthy Vein on the menu.

This description and instruction is based on scientific facts found in Gray's Anatomy, Guyton's Physiology, and College Physics by Miller.

Within these science texts are the basic facts about the human body and the laws of nature. Vein Access Technologies has the only

program that applies this SCIENCE BASED information to the clinical skills of vein access.

Get all the details and science facts about vein anatomy and physiology and how it relates to vein

access by reading our books - How to Locate a Healthy Vein, or one of the profession-specific

books The Science Behind the Skill of Vein Access, OR enroll in our accelerated Vein Access Training Program.

Purchase a Book

Enroll in Training Program

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