This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Aorta

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The aorta is the main artery of the body passing blood from the heart to peripheral tissues. All other arteries ramify from the aorta. Histologically, it is an elastic artery and its elasticitity allows it to store the kinetic energy of the blood and so modify the systolic pulse wave.

It originates from the left ventricle of the heart at the site of the aortic valve. It terminates at the division into right and left common iliac arteries within the abdomen. Between these areas, the aorta can be divided into continuous sections:

  • thoracic aorta: that part of the aorta within the thorax. Further subdivided into:
    • ascending aorta: from left ventricle to arch of aorta
    • arch of aorta: the section arching over the left main bronchus. Intermediate to ascending and descending aorta.
    • descending aorta: from aortic arch inferiorly to diaphragm
  • abdominal aorta: that part of the aorta inferior to the diaphragm

The plural for more than one aorta is aortae. The adjective for items pertaining to the aorta is aortic.


Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.