The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The aorta begins at the top of the left ventricle, the heart's muscular pumping chamber. The heart pumps blood from the left ventricle into the aorta through the aortic valve. Three leaflets on the aortic valve open and close with each heartbeat to allow one-way flow of blood.
Where does blood flow in the aorta?
The aorta is the largest artery in the systemic circulatory system. Blood is pumped from the left ventricle into the aorta and from there branches to all parts of the body. The aorta is an elastic artery, meaning it is able to distend. When the left ventricle contracts to force blood into the aorta, the aorta expands.
Where is aorta located in the body?
The Anatomy of the Aortic Arch
- Anatomy. The root of the aorta begins at the left ventricle of the heart and ascends superiorly (goes up toward the head) for about 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) in ...
- Function. The aorta carries blood to the entire body other than the coronary arteries, which provide blood to the heart.
- Clinical Significance. ...
How serious is a torn aorta?
The condition is generally fatal in most of the cases because of the excessive internal bleeding as a result of the rupture. The aorta is the main blood vessel which carries blood out of your heart.
What would cause an aorta to rupture?
Traumatic Aortic Transection (Aortic Rupture)
- Overview. The aorta is the largest artery in the body. ...
- Symptoms. An aortic rupture occurs after there is trauma to the aorta such as that from a motor vehicle accident or a penetrating injury.
- Diagnosis. Diagnosis of aortic rupture is almost always done at the emergency room after a traumatic event. ...
- Treatment. ...
What system is the aorta in?
the artery systemThe Aorta is the first and largest part of the artery system. All smaller arteries come off branches of the aorta, like exits on a highway.
Is the aorta Part of the pulmonary system?
The pulmonary artery is located directly beneath the aorta. The aorta is part of the systemic circulation. The pulmonary trunk with left and right arteries are part of the pulmonary circulation.
What is the aorta in the heart?
The aorta is the largest artery of the body and carries blood from the heart to the circulatory system. It has several sections: The Aortic Root, the transition point where blood first exits the heart, functions as the water main of the body.
How does the circulatory system work?
The circulatory system (cardiovascular system) pumps blood from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. The heart then sends oxygenated blood through arteries to the rest of the body. The veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart to start the circulation process over.
What is the pulmonary aorta?
Pulmonary Artery. Definition. The artery that supplies oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. The artery that carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
What is the difference between aorta and pulmonary vein?
Aorta and pulmonary artery are two main important arteries in our body. Both carry blood away from the heart. However, aorta carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body while the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to lungs for purification.
What is the difference between pulmonary artery and pulmonary aorta?
· The aorta carries oxygenated blood to the different parts of the body. The pulmonary arteries carry the deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where they are cleansed and oxygenated again. · The pulmonary artery originates from the pulmonary trunk at the right ventricle. The aorta originates from the left ventricle.
Is the aorta the largest artery in the pulmonary circuit?
The aorta is the largest artery within the pulmonary circuit. The coronary sinus drains blood from the wall of the heart into the left atrium. The distribution of blood in capillary pathways is largely controlled by the action of precapillary sphincters .
Which side of the body is the aorta located?
For people that have dextrocardia (a condition where the heart is located on the right side of the body), the aorta is usually on the right side instead of on the left side. 3 The same applies to people who have a condition called situs invertus, where all the organs are on the opposite side of where they usually are—like a mirror image.
How many parts are there in the aorta?
Four Parts of the Aorta. Ascending aorta. Aortic arch. Descending aorta. Abdominal aorta. The aorta is divided into four parts: 2 . Ascending aorta: This is the first part of the aorta and it is connected to the left ventricle of the heart (the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the body's tissues and organs).
What is the descending aorta?
Descending aorta: This is the part of the aorta that travels downward from the aortic arch through the chest. It is also known as descending thoracic aorta or simply thoracic aorta.
What is the birth defect of the aorta?
There is a birth defect known as coarctation of the aorta, in which a part of the aorta is significantly narrower than it ordinarily should be. The narrowing is usually found right after the arteries that supply blood to the head and arms have arisen from the aorta. 4 This narrowing occurs when the baby's aorta doesn't form properly while it's in the womb and its effect is that it doesn’t let blood flow to the body properly. This variation causes high blood pressure and eventual heart damage if it’s not corrected.
What is the clinical significance of an aortic aneurysm?
There are several conditions with serious complications that center around or affect the aorta. Aortic aneurysm: An aortic aneurysm is a weakened point on the aorta. It occurs when the aorta is not able to contract and expand to accommodate the passage of blood properly.
What is the largest artery in the body?
The aorta is the largest artery in the body to which all other major arteries are connected. 1 It is a big tube-like structure, usually about 1 inch wide in diameter, although its size varies proportionally to the height and weight of the person.
Where does the ascending aorta start?
The ascending aorta starts at the aortic valve which closes and opens to stop and allow the flow of blood from the heart into the aorta. Aortic arch: This is the part of the aorta that curves upward toward the head and neck. It starts where the ascending aorta ends.
Which part of the aorta travels down the body?
The aorta then arches downwards and to the left. This part is the aortic arch. From here, the aorta travels down the body. This last part is known by doctors as the descending aorta.
Where does the aorta start?
The aorta begins at the aortic valve, which separates the aorta from the left ventricle of the heart. The left ventricle is the last chamber that blood travels through as it moves through the heart.
Why is the aorta important?
The aorta is essential for health because it is the main artery supplying oxygenated blood to the body. Every tissue and organ in the body needs oxygenated blood to stay alive.
What causes a thoracic aortic aneurysm?
Thoracic aortic aneurysms occur in the chest, often as a result of high blood pressure or sudden injury. However, those with connective tissue disorders can also develop a thoracic aortic aneurysm. The symptoms include:
What is the largest vessel in the body?
The aorta is a large artery that transports oxygenated blood away from the heart and to the rest of the body. It is the largest vessel in the body, measuring more than 1 inch wide in some places.
What is the most serious condition that affects the aorta?
One of the most serious conditions that affects the aorta is an aortic aneurysm.
How to treat an aortic aneurysm?
Doctors may treat aortic aneurysms with medications, surgery, or both. Medications can help lower an individual’s blood pressure, reducing the risk of developing an aortic aneurysm.
Where is the aorta located?
The aorta ( / eɪˈɔːrtə / ay-OR-tə) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries (the common iliac arteries ).
Which side of the body is the aorta located?
The aorta, normally on the left side of the body, may be found on the right in dextrocardia, in which the heart is found on the right, or situs inversus, in which the location of all organs are flipped. Variations in the branching of individual arteries may also occur.
What are the aortic arches?
The aortic arches start as five pairs of symmetrical arteries connecting the heart with the dorsal aorta, and then undergo a significant remodelling to form the final asymmetrical structure of the great arteries, with the 3rd pair of arteries contributing to the common carotids, the right 4th forming the base and middle part of the right subclavian artery and the left 4th being the central part of the aortic arch. The smooth muscle of the great arteries and the population of cells that form the aorticopulmonary septum that separates the aorta and pulmonary artery is derived from cardiac neural crest. This contribution of the neural crest to the great artery smooth muscle is unusual as most smooth muscle is derived from mesoderm. In fact the smooth muscle within the abdominal aorta is derived from mesoderm, and the coronary arteries, which arise just above the semilunar valves, possess smooth muscle of mesodermal origin. A failure of the aorticopulmonary septum to divide the great vessels results in persistent truncus arteriosus .
What is the descending aorta?
The thoracic descending aorta gives rise to the intercostal and subcostal arteries, as well as to the superior and inferior left bronchial arteries and variable branches to the esophagus, mediastinum, and pericardium.
What is the aorta called after it passes through the diaphragm?
After the aorta passes through the diaphragm, it is known as the abdominal aorta. The aorta ends by dividing into two major blood vessels, the common iliac arteries and a smaller midline vessel, the median sacral artery.
How is the aorta classified?
In anatomical sources, the aorta is usually divided into sections. One way of classifying a part of the aorta is by anatomical compartment, where the thoracic aorta (or thoracic portion of the aorta) runs from the heart to the diaphragm. The aorta then continues downward as the abdominal aorta (or abdominal portion of the aorta) ...
Where does the abdominal aorta begin?
The abdominal aorta begins at the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra. It gives rise to lumbar and musculophrenic arteries, renal and middle suprarenal arteries, and visceral arteries (the celiac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery ). It ends in a bifurcation into the left and right common iliac arteries. At the point of the bifurcation, there also springs a smaller branch, the median sacral artery.
Where is the aorta located?
Location of aorta in the human heart. The main artery of the body begins at the heart and ends when it divides itself in the iliac arteries to supply blood to the lower limbs. The aorta is found in the trunk of the human body and it is divided and named according to its location in thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta.
What is the function of the aorta?
Function of Aorta. The main role of this vital structure in the human body is to supply blood to the entire economy of the body with the exception of the lungs. The structure of the aorta is indispensable to complete this function. The pumping of the blood from the heart with each contraction creates a pulsatile flow that needs to be kept in order ...
Why is an aorta rupture a life threatening condition?
Because the aorta is such a large and important artery a rupture in any of its regions is a life-threatening condition. There are some risk factors related with the aneurysms of the aorta such as: the age (it is common to find this condition in patients of 65 years old or more), gender (the condition being more common in men than in women), lifestyle habits (particularly common in smokers), pathological conditions (for example, high blood pressure) and the presence of cases of aneurysms in the family history. For prevention reasons it is vital to perform periodicals checkups aimed at the early discovery of the aneurysms.
What is the importance of the aortic arch?
The following region is the aortic arch. Its importance is in regulating the pressure and the pH of the blood as it goes out from the heart’s left ventricle due to the presence of chemoreceptors and baroreceptors. This first portion of the aorta sends the information to the brain to do the most convenient adjustments to ensure the balance and equilibrium of the blood delivery. The aortic arch has three important branches that supply the upper part of the body and brain with blood, this branches are:
What is the ascending aorta?
The ascending aorta is the first of the four regions. In the ascending aorta the blood has a high pressure as it exits from the left ventricle due to its strong contraction. The beginning of this region is marked by the aortic valve of the heart and just beneath it the aorta has three small orifices known as aortic sinuses. These sinuses supply the coronary arteries (arteries of the heart) with blood.
What are the branches of the aorta?
As the descending aorta passes through the diaphragm its name changes to abdominal aorta where it creates the branches to supply the organs and structures of the abdomen with blood. The abdominal aorta branches are: 1 Lumbar arteries 2 Musculophrenic arteries 3 Renal arteries 4 Suprarenal arteries 5 Median sacral arteries 6 Visceral arteries (Superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, celiac trunk) 7 Gonadal arteries (Ovarian arteries in women, Testicular arteries in men)
How is the aorta formed?
The aorta is a complex structure formed by the combination of different tissues and components such as nerves, extracellular matrix, endothelial cells, intimal cells and smooth muscle. The walls of this “pipeline” are formed, from inside-out by:
Where does the aorta get its blood?
Its small branches supply blood to the ribs and some chest structures. • The abdominal aorta begins at the diaphragm, splitting to become the paired iliac arteries in the lower abdomen. Most of the major organs receive blood from branches of the abdominal aorta. Like all arteries, the aorta's wall has several layers:
How does the heart pump blood into the aorta?
The heart pumps blood from the left ventricle into the aorta through the aortic valve. Three leaflets on the aortic valve open and close with each heartbeat to allow one-way flow of blood. The aorta is a tube about a foot long and just over an inch in diameter. The aorta is divided into four sections:
How is aorta grafting done?
This is usually done through an incision in the abdomen. Aorta grafting (endograft): A damaged part of the aorta may be surgically replaced or reinforced with synthetic mesh. Aortic valve replacement: A damaged aortic valve may be surgically replaced, usually for aortic stenosis.
What causes shortness of breath and chest pain?
Rheumatic fever is the most common cause of aortic stenosis, which can cause chest pain or shortness of breath. Coarctation of the aorta: Narrowing of the aorta between its branches to the arms and those to the legs. This birth defect causes heart strain due to high blood pressure in the upper body.
What is the name of the condition where blood regurgitates backwards?
Aortic regurgitation: Another name for aortic insufficiency. Blood regurgitates backward through the incompletely closed aortic valve and into the heart's left ventricle. Aortic stenosis: Narrowing of the aortic valve, which causes the heart to strain to pump blood through.
What causes aortic insufficiency?
Aortic insufficiency: The aortic valve does not close completely, allowing some blood to flow back into heart with each beat. Conditions including autoimmune diseases, Marfan's syndrome, and endocarditis can cause aortic insufficiency. Aortic regurgitation: Another name for aortic insufficiency.
What are the conditions that affect the aorta?
Aortic atherosclerosis: Cholesterol plaques build up in the wall of the aorta, posing a risk for stroke. High blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels are often responsible. A ortic aneurysm: A weakness in the aorta's wall allows a section to expand like a balloon.
What is the aorta?
The aorta supplies oxygenated blood to most of the body. Jan-Otto / Getty Images. Since so much blood flows through the aorta, it is an extremely sensitive blood vessel during trauma or certain types of medical conditions.
Where does the aorta start?
The aorta starts at the left ventricle of the heart and curves around toward the feet. The curve is known as the aortic arch. The entire aorta stretches from the thoracic cavity to the abdomen. All of the blood flow leaving the left ventricle flows through some or all of the aorta.
What is the most common condition that affects the abdominal aorta?
The most common condition to affect the abdominal aorta is an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An abdominal aortic aneurysm consists of a weakening of the wall of the aorta just above the point where it bifurcates into the left and right common iliac arteries.
What is the largest artery in the abdominal cavity?
By the time the aorta reaches the abdomen, it has tapered to a width of about 2 centimeters wide, making it the largest artery in the abdominal cavity. 1 Like other blood vessels, the wall of the abdominal aorta is made up of three distinct tissue layers: the thin inner layer (tunica intima), the thick middle layer (tunica media), and the thin outer layer (tunica adventitia). that have the ability to constrict and relax as needed to adjust for high and low blood pressures.
What is the largest blood vessel in the body?
Clinical Significance. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It is an artery, meaning that it carries blood away from the heart. The abdominal aorta enters the abdomen through the diaphragm at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebre and continues to just below the umbilical area, where it splits into the right ...
How many arteries branch off of the abdominal aorta?
There are five arteries that branch off of the abdominal aorta:
Where does the descending aorta travel?
The descending aorta travels down the chest and becomes the abdominal aorta when it crosses the diaphragm, at about the twelfth thoracic vertebra. From there travels down to where it bifurcates into the left and right common iliac arteries.
What is the cardiovascular system?
The cardiovascular system is comprised of the heart and the circulatory system of blood vessels. The heart is composed of four chambers; two atria and two ventricles. Blood enters the heart through the upper chambers of the left and right atria and exits via the left and right ventricles.
What are the respiratory organs?
The respiratory system consists of a series of organs; the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and lungs ( alveoli ). The nasal cavity and pharynx are together called the upper respiratory system, while the remainder of the organs comprise the lower respiratory system.
What is the digestive system?
Digestive system - anterior view. The human body is a biological machine made of body systems; groups of organs that work together to produce and sustain life. Sometimes we get lost while studying about cells and molecules and can’t see the forest for the trees.
What is the circulatory system?
They all comprise a continuous network of vessels which act to carry blood around the body. Blood leaves the heart via arteries, these progressively reduce in size to continue as smaller arterial vessels called arterioles. Arterioles end in a web of even smaller vessels called capillaries. The exchange of gases and nutrients occurs through the capillary walls.
Which system produces hormones in order to regulate a wide variety of bodily functions?
Endocrine system. Production of hormones in order to regulate a wide variety of bodily functions (e.g. menstrual cycle, sugar levels, etc) Lymphatic system. Draining of excess tissue fluid, immune defense of the body.
What are the two parts of the skeletal system?
The skeletal system is composed of bones and cartilages. There are two parts of the skeleton; axial and appendicular. The axial skeleton consists of the bones of the head and trunk. The appendicular skeleton consists of the bones within the limbs, as well as supporting pectoral and pelvic girdles.
Which system controls the activities of the body?
Central nervous system . The central nervous system definition is that it receives information from the body’s environment and generates instructions, thereby controlling all the activities of the human body. This two-way information flow into, and out of, the CNS is conveyed by the peripheral nervous system.
Overview
- Structure
The aorta is the largest artery in the body to which all other major arteries are connected.1It is a big tube-like structure, usually about 1 inch wide in diameter, although its size varies proportionally to the height and weight of the person. The aorta is widest at the point where it co… - Location
The aorta is located at different parts of the body. It starts at the heart’s left ventricle, goes through the chest, and ends at the lower abdomen.
Structure
Function
Clinical significance
Other animals
In anatomical sources, the aorta is usually divided into sections.
One way of classifying a part of the aorta is by anatomical compartment, where the thoracic aorta (or thoracic portion of the aorta) runs from the heart to the diaphragm. The aorta then continues downward as the abdominal aorta (or abdominal portion of the aorta) from the diaphragm to the aortic bifurcation.
History
The aorta supplies all of the systemic circulation, which means that the entire body, except for the respiratory zone of the lung, receives its blood from the aorta. Broadly speaking, branches from the ascending aorta supply the heart; branches from the aortic arch supply the head, neck, and arms; branches from the thoracic descending aorta supply the chest (excluding the heart and the respiratory zone of the lung); and branches from the abdominal aorta supply the abdomen. The p…
External links
• Aortic aneurysm – mycotic, bacterial (e.g. syphilis), senile, genetic, associated with valvular heart disease
• Aortic coarctation – pre-ductal, post-ductal
• Aortic dissection
• Aortic stenosis