Blood vessels are the series of tubes that are used to pump blood throughout the body. There are three types of blood vessels: arteries, veins and lymphatics.
Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to every part of the body, including the brain, intestines, kidneys, arms, legs and the heart itself. When disease occurs in the arteries, it is called arterial disease. Veins return blood back to the heart from all parts of the body. When disease occurs in the veins, it is calledvenous disease. Lymphatics are a third type of blood vessel that return fluid from the skin and other tissues to the veins.