Arteries carry blood away from the heart under high pressure, so each heartbeat sends a wave along them. Where a large artery runs close to the skin over a firm surface, you can feel that wave as a pulse.
The aorta and its arch
The aorta leaves the left ventricle, arches over the heart and runs down through the chest and abdomen. Its arch gives off the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid and the left subclavian arteries, which supply the head and arms.
Head and arms
The common carotid arteries run up the neck beside the trachea and split into internal (brain) and external (face and scalp) branches. The subclavian artery becomes the axillary and then the brachial artery, which divides at the elbow into the radial and ulnar arteries.
Abdomen and legs
The abdominal aorta sends branches to the gut and kidneys, then splits into the two common iliac arteries at about the level of the navel. In the groin each becomes the femoral artery, then the popliteal artery behind the knee, and finally the arteries of the lower leg and foot.
| Pulse | Where to feel it | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Carotid | Side of the neck, beside the trachea | Pulse check in collapse and CPR |
| Brachial | Inner arm, just above the elbow crease | Infant pulse check, blood pressure cuff |
| Radial | Thumb side of the wrist | Routine rate and rhythm |
| Femoral | Groin, midway between the hip bone point and the pubic bone | Central pulse in shock |
| Popliteal | Behind the slightly bent knee | Leg circulation |
| Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial | Top of the foot and behind the inner ankle | Foot circulation |
At the bedside
Compare pulses on both sides for rate, rhythm and strength; a weak or missing distal pulse points to poor perfusion or a blocked artery. In an unresponsive adult, check the carotid for no more than 10 seconds.
Related guides
Written by Making Synapses. Topic reference: OpenStax, Anatomy and Physiology 2e (no text adapted).