Arterial blood sample

The pulse of an artery determines the location of an arterial stick. The primary reason for taking blood from an artery rather than a vein is to measure blood gases. Because arterial blood is oxygenated blood flowing directly from the heart, analysis of arterial blood can determine the chemistry of the blood before it is used by the tissues.

Top

Reviewed by: A.D.A.M. Medical Illustration Team
Review date: 2005-10-03

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission www.urac.org. URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics www.hiethics.com and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation www.hon.ch. The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Adam makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy, reliability, completeness, currentness, or timeliness of the content, text or graphics. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2005, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.