Aorta – the main human artery

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The aorta, as the largest artery in our body, performs important functions. Its most important task is to bring oxygenated blood to every tissue of our body. Unfortunately, it is not free from diseases affecting the entire circulatory system. Its structure is quite complex, as the aorta travels through almost the entire chest and abdominal cavity. Get to know its construction.

  1. The aorta is the largest human artery
  2. Thanks to it, blood is supplied to all tissues of our body
  3. If it does not work properly and does not pump blood properly, it negatively affects how you feel
  4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

The aorta is divided into thoracic and abdominal aorta. Its work is not only about dividing blood into other large vessels, but also thanks to the structure of its walls it regulates blood pressure. The starting point of the aorta is the left ventricle, where the crescent-shaped valve is at the border. The aorta then locates at the top of the mediastinum and proceeds slightly to the right at a height of 5-7 cm. Then it travels over the root of the left lung, arching back to the left and through the posterior mediastinum into the left side of the spine.

Aorta – episodes

The aorta, as the largest artery in the human body, is divided into specific sections:

  1. the ascending part of the aorta – at its beginning there is the aortic bulb, made of three sinuses that can be found above the aortic valve leaflets. This here is the exit of the coronary arteries. The ascending segment of the aorta passes through the pericardial sac and ends at the pericardial insertion, then begins another segment of the aorta, the arch;
  2. aortic arch – this segment of the aorta travels posteriorly from the other left rib-sternal joint. Its end is located at the level of the left surface of the vertebral body Th3 or Th4. This is where the next segment of the aorta begins, that is, the descending aorta;
  3. the descending part of the aorta – it is divided into:
  4. the thoracic part of the aorta – although it travels in the posterior mediastinum, it moves to the left side with age. Its beginning is at the level of the Th3 or Th4 vertebra and the end is Th12,
  5. the abdominal aorta – its beginning can be found at the level of the Th12 vertebra, in the aortic development in the diaphragm. Then it goes to the front surface of the lumbar vertebrae. Its ending is near the lower body of the L4 vertebrae.
  6. the thoracic part of the aorta – although it travels in the posterior mediastinum, it moves to the left side with age. Its beginning is at the level of the Th3 or Th4 vertebra and the end is Th12,
  7. the abdominal aorta – its beginning can be found at the level of the Th12 vertebra, in the aortic development in the diaphragm. Then it goes to the front surface of the lumbar vertebrae. Its ending is near the lower body of the L4 vertebrae.

Aorta – diseases

The most common aortic conditions include:

  1. aneurysm – we talk about it when the aortic artery is dilated by more than 50%. a width that is considered to be correct for this segment. Aneurysms can appear in any section of the aorta, most often they appear in the abdominal section. The risk of developing aneurysms increases with age. Most often, aneurysms are diagnosed in men;
  2. aortic valve defect – this descent is also one of the most commonly diagnosed heart diseases. As many as 1-2% of newborns are diagnosed with a double-leaf valve. This defect can cause chronic chest pain. The aorta can also widen as a consequence of the abnormal blood flow;
  3. aortic atherosclerosis – it is a chronic disease. It results from degenerative changes in the walls of the vessels. Its main cause is hypercholesterolaemia. Initially, the disease was asymptomatic. The developing atherosclerosis does not cause any pain. The consequences of this condition begin to be felt only after the aorta is severely constricted;
  4. aortitis – this is an inflammation of the aorta. It can be both light and heavy. The disease has many different symptoms that depend on the location of the disease and the underlying disease. The signal of inflammation of the aorta is, of course, pain in both the chest and back, abdomen and fever. The sick person gets tired quickly and has shortness of breath.

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