Aorta

Abdominal Branches of the Aorta

The aorta is the main artery of the body. It leaves the thoracic cavity behind the posterior portion of the diaphragm just below the 12th thoracic vertebra. Either directly from major branches or indirectly via secondary arteries, it supplies...

Diseases of the Abdominal Aorta

The aorta is a large vessel that runs from the left ventricle of your heart to your chest and down your abdomen. It is responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood throughout your body, says the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. The...

Skiing With an Enlarged Aorta

A diagnosis of an enlarged aorta can be a scary thing, but it doesn’t mean that you have to put your life – or your love of skiing – on hold. Moderate exercise can be beneficial as long as you are under a doctor’s care and...

Enlarged Aorta & Bicycling

The heart, like every other muscle in the body, benefits from exercise. However, when diagnosed with an enlarged aorta, certain types of exercises should be avoided. Bicycling is one of the exercises recommended for nearly everyone, according to...

Nutrition for a Stiff Aorta

Your aorta is the largest artery in your body and carries blood between your heart and two smaller arteries in your abdomen. Stiffening or hardening of the aorta is a health problem known as arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis. According to the...

Diet for Aorta Stenosis

Aorta stenosis, also called aorta valve stenosis, occurs when your aorta, the main valve carrying blood out of your heart, constricts. This constriction prevents your aorta from openly completely, which restricts the blood flow from your heart to...

What Are the Causes of an Enlarged Abdominal Aorta?

The aorta is a major blood vessel that stems from the heart and extends through the diaphragm and down to the abdomen. The abdominal aorta is the section of the aorta that extends to the abdomen. It supplies blood and oxygen mainly to the organs...

Good Foods for the Aorta

The aorta is the body's largest blood vessel and supplies blood flow directly from the heart to all parts of the body. Dietary-related health problem, as such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, can affect proper aortic functioning....

Aorta Aneurysm Symptoms

The largest artery in the body, the aorta, extends from the heart to the lower abdomen where it divides into a branch for each leg. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons state that an aneurysm is a weak section in the wall of the aorta that causes the...

What Are the Causes of Calcification in Abdominal Aorta?

According to e-radiography.net, calcification in the abdominal aorta is the medical condition in which hardening of the walls of the abdominal aorta occurs. Calcification in the abdominal aorta represents a special case of atherosclerosis. The...

Dissection of the Abdominal Aorta

Abdominal aortic dissection is a tear in the inner lining of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The aorta starts in the heart ascending upward before arching and bending down through the chest into the abdomen. The tear will allow blood to...

Abdominal Aorta & Aneurysm

According to an article in the September 2009 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, approximately 33,000 patients undergo repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms each year, with associated illness, death and health care costs. Rupture of...

Abdominal Aorta Stenosis Symptoms

Abdominal aortic stenosis (AAS) refers to abnormal narrowing of the aorta anywhere along its course in the abdomen. The aorta enters the abdomen through the thoracic hiatus at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra in front of the spinal cord...

Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm & Nutrition

An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when your abdominal aorta -- the large artery transporting blood to your gut and lower body -- balloons outward. The precise cause of AAAs is unknown, notes the National Center for Biotechnology Information,...

Complications of Aorta Aneurysm Surgery

The aorta is a large artery that travels through the chest and abdomen to supply the legs with blood and oxygen. If you have an aneurysm it means that somewhere along the wall of the artery, an abnormal bulge has developed. In most cases these...

Abdominal Aorta Post Surgery Complications

The aorta is the main blood vessel supplying blood to the entire body; the abdominal aorta is the part of the aorta that passes through the abdominal cavity. Surgical repair of the abdominal aorta can be done through an incision in the abdomen,...

Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm Symptoms

The aorta, the main artery carrying blood to the body, runs through the middle of the abdomen. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) results from a weak spot in the abdominal segment of the aorta that causes it to bulge. Rupture of the bulge is a...

What Isometric Exercises Can I Do With Aorta Valve Disease?

If you have aortic valve disease, you might be limited in the type of exercises you can safely do. Exercise, however, can promote your recovery and prevent you from suffering further heart problems. Isometric exercises are static exercises that...

Atherosclerotic Disease of the Abdominal Aorta Symptoms

The atherosclerotic disease of the abdominal aorta is commonly known as abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Medline Plus states that most abdominal aortic aneurysms are caused by atherosclerosis, a fatty deposit of the inner lining of the arteries....

What Are the Causes of Aortic Aneurysms?

An aortic aneurysm is a condition in which the walls of the aorta balloon out, usually due to weakness of the arterial walls. Aortic aneurysms are more common in the abdomen, but they can also occur in the chest. One risk of an aortic aneurysm is...

Ascending Aortic Aneurysm & Selenium

Your ascending aorta is a large artery attached to your heart that is vital for cardiovascular health. Aneurysm, or rupture, of such a large blood vessel can be deadly. Selenium, in small amounts, is an essential mineral for your body. It has...

List of Congenital Diseases

Congenital diseases refer to diseases that are present at birth. Sometimes, the congenital condition affects a certain body part or is an inherited condition that affects growth and development. Congenital diseases are typically present at birth,...

Dissecting Aneurysm Symptoms

An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the wall of a blood vessel.The most common place an aneurysm occurs is in the aorta, the largest artery in the body. An aortic dissection happens when the inner wall of the aorta tears and allows blood to pass...

What Are the Causes of a Spinal Stroke?

A spinal stroke, also known as a spinal cord infarction, is a condition in which blood flow to part of the spinal cord is blocked. Often only one artery serves distinct portions of the spinal cord, so the blockage of an artery can result in rapid...

Blood Vessels That Direct Away From Heart

The heart is a pump with four chambers; the top chambers, the left and right atria, are the entry point into the heart for blood. After blood moves down into the left and right ventricles, it's pumped out and away from the heart. Blood leaves the...

Children's Heart Diseases

According to the American Heart Association, every year about 36,000 children are born with heart disease in the United States. These conditions, which are referred to as "congenital" defects, meaning present at birth, usually involve the...

Aortic Aneurysm Dangers

An aortic aneurysm, or an out-pouching of the main vessel supplying blood from the heart to other organs, is an often asymptomatic condition. In fact, many aneurysms are found incidentally on a routine exam by your physician. When large enough,...

What are the Main Blood Vessels of the Body

Blood vessels can be grouped into three categories: arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries are the blood vessels that transfer blood away from the heart to the organs. They are the thickest of the blood vessels because they carry the blood...

Aortic Aneurysm Health Video (Video)

An aortic aneurysm is any swelling of the aorta, usually due to a thinning wall. The condition is not always severe, but rupture is a risk. Learn more about aortic aneurysms in this video.

Coronary Artery Disease Health Video (Video)

Coronary artery disease, or coronary heart disease, is the end result of the heart muscle losing nutrients due to blockage in blood vessels of the heart. Learn more about coronary heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.

Tricuspid Regurgitation Health Video (Video)

Tricuspid regurgitation is a heart condition wherein the tricuspid valve fails in systole. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Tricuspid Regurgitation in this video.