Vessels carrying blood away from the heart are called?

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Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart are arteries. This directional role fits with how the heart pumps blood into the arteries, which have thick, muscular walls to handle the high pressure of freshly pumped blood and to propel it through the body. From arteries, blood flows into smaller vessels called arterioles and then into capillaries where gas and nutrient exchange with tissues occurs. Veins, by contrast, return blood to the heart and have thinner walls and valves to prevent backflow, while capillaries are the tiny sites of exchange. An important exception to keep in mind is the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs.