US Medical Term · anatomy
Aorta
Aorta
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Aorta |
| Spanish (Español) | Aorta |
| Chinese (中文) | 主動脈 |
| Korean (한국어) | 대동맥 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Động mạch chủ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Aorta |
| Portuguese (Português) | Aorta |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | หลอดเลือดแดงใหญ่ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 大動脈 |
What it means
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, about the width of a garden hose. It starts at the top of the heart's left ventricle, arches up through the chest, and then runs down through the abdomen before splitting into smaller arteries that supply the legs. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta with every heartbeat, and from there it is distributed to the rest of the body. An aortic aneurysm is a bulge or weakening in the aorta's wall that can be life-threatening if it ruptures. High blood pressure puts extra strain on the aorta over time, which is one reason controlling your blood pressure matters so much.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My CT scan showed a small aneurysm in my aorta — what does that mean for my treatment?
Mi tomografía mostró un pequeño aneurisma en la aorta. ¿Qué significa eso para mi tratamiento?
The surgeon said they need to repair the enlarged section of my aorta before it becomes dangerous.
El cirujano dijo que necesitan reparar la sección agrandada de mi aorta antes de que sea peligrosa.
I understand that keeping my blood pressure under control helps protect my aorta from damage.
Entiendo que mantener la presión arterial controlada ayuda a proteger mi aorta de daños.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026