What does the subclavian artery supply?

• A. It supplies blood to the upper extremities.
• B. It supplies blood to the lower extremities.
• C. It drains blood from the brain.
• D. It supplies blood to the kidneys.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the subclavian arteries are the primary vessels that supply blood to the upper extremities. They travel under the clavicle and give off branches that nourish the neck, shoulder girdle, chest wall, and arm. As they continue, they become the axillary arteries in the armpit, which then feed the entire upper limb. One important branch, the vertebral artery, also helps supply the brain by joining the basilar system, but the key function of the subclavian artery is delivering blood to the upper limbs. Lower extremities receive blood from the aorta via iliac arteries, the kidneys from the renal arteries, and brain blood is delivered by arteries while its drainage is through the venous system, not the subclavian artery.