Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Aorta

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, arising from the left ventricle of the heart and serving as the principal conduit through which oxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation. Anatomically it is divided into successive segments—the ascending aorta, the aortic arch with its branches to the head, neck, …

Curated from this journal's research 📚 11 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 17× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2329-9487 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, arising from the left ventricle of the heart and serving as the principal conduit through which oxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation. Anatomically it is divided into successive segments—the ascending aorta, the aortic arch with its branches to the head, neck, and upper limbs, and the descending portion comprising the thoracic and abdominal aorta—before bifurcating into the iliac arteries. Its wall is rich in elastic tissue, an arrangement that allows it to expand during ventricular ejection and recoil during diastole, thereby buffering pulsatile flow, smoothing pressure waves, and sustaining continuous perfusion of downstream organs. Chronic hypertension and arterial aging stiffen the aortic wall and contribute to adverse cardiometabolic vascular phenotypes, increasing cardiovascular risk. The aorta is subject to several major pathologies, including aneurysmal dilatation—most commonly abdominal aortic aneurysm—dissection arising from a tear in the wall, and atherosclerotic disease that affects the vessel and its branches. Structural and congenital abnormalities of the aorta and the other great vessels, together with related conditions affecting major arterial branches such as the superior mesenteric artery, fall within the same clinical domain, making assessment of aortic anatomy, stiffness, and disease central to cardiovascular medicine.

Research published in this journal

11 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 11 articles above have been cited 17 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Aorta, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Hypertension and Cardiology (ISSN 2329-9487).

Journal editorial board
Hatori Nobuo · Japan Gregor Leibundgut · Switzerland Yuejin Li · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.