Brachial artery

Looks like

The main artery of the upper arm, running along the inner side of the biceps to the crease of the elbow.

What it does

Carries the whole blood supply of the arm below the shoulder; the blood pressure cuff listens to it.

Keeping it well

An elbow fracture in a child can pinch it: a cold, pale hand with no pulse at the wrist is an emergency.

Its parts

• Left deep brachial artery
• Left superior ulnar collateral artery
• Left inferior ulnar collateral artery
• Right brachial artery
• Right deep brachial artery
• Right superior ulnar collateral artery
• Right inferior ulnar collateral artery
• Left brachial artery
• Radial collateral branch of deep brachial artery
• Middle collateral branch of deep brachial artery

Related conditions

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)