Finally, the left and right brachiocephalic veins join to form the superior vena cava, which delivers deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart.

When the patient is sitting or in a semirecumbent position, the height of the jugular veins and their pulsations provides an estimate of the central venous pressure and gives important information about whether the heart is keeping up with the demands on it or is failing.

[4] Distension of the jugular is a potential sign of heart failure, cardiac tamponade, or coronary artery disease Examination of the neck veins is routinely performed to evaluate atrial pressure and to estimate intravascular volume in patients with dyspnea, edema, or hypovolemia.

[1] Symptoms associated with abnormal flow or pressure in the jugular veins include hearing loss, dizziness, blurry vision, swollen eyes, neck pain, headaches, and sleeping difficulty.

The jugular vein runs parallel to the carotid artery and operates under much lower pressure, returning deoxygenated blood to the heart, whereas the carotid artery, a high-pressure vessel supplying oxygenated blood to the brain, is far more critical and vulnerable in sustaining cerebral circulation.