Glossary of Terms

Aorta
The human body has two main kinds of blood vessels, arteries and veins. The aorta is the main artery of the body. The arteries, with only two exceptions, transport oxygen-rich blood from the heart and lungs to the rest of the body. The veins transport the blood that has been used by the body’s organs to the heart and lungs so that it can be re-oxygenated and pumped back to the rest of the body. The aorta starts just above the heart and travels down to about the level of your navel. There, it divides into smaller branches, which then progress down the lower extremities. The aorta is the largest artery of the body and can be divided into 4 sections: the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, the descending thoracic aorta, and the abdominal aorta.