ascending aorta
anatomy
Quick Summary
The ascending aorta is the initial section of the aorta, the largest artery in the body, which carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body. It arches over the heart, forming the aortic arch, and then continues as the descending aorta. The coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle itself, branch off from the ascending aorta. Diseases affecting the aorta, such as atherosclerosis, can lead to serious conditions like aneurysms or impaired blood flow.12
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