Arteries are blood vessels.
From the Latin artery , an artery is a vessel or conduit that is responsible for carrying blood from the heart to the other parts of the body . In that sense, it performs the opposite task of the veins, which move blood from the capillaries to the heart.
Arteries are elastic and membranous conduits, which have divergent branches. These blood vessels are made up of three layers: an external or adventitia (connective tissue), a middle (with muscle fibers) and an internal or intima (composed of the endothelium and a subendothelial conjunctiva layer).
Arterial systems
There are two major systems of arteries: the aorta artery system and the pulmonary artery system .
Various branches arise from the arch of the aorta , such as the carotid artery , bronchial arteries , lumbar arteries , renal arteries , coronary arteries and genital arteries .
The pulmonary artery , on the other hand, is the only artery that transports blood with carbon dioxide (just as veins do). It originates in the right ventricle of the heart and divides into two terminal branches, the right pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary artery. Of course, these branches go to the lungs .
Arteries carry blood from the heart to various parts of the body.
coronary heart disease
One of the main causes of death in many countries around the world is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, in both the male and female populations. It is caused by the obstruction of a coronary artery , which leads to a heart attack or myocardial infarction due to inefficient blood supply to the heart.
The cause that causes the occlusion of an artery is the accumulation of fatty or waxy deposits ( cholesterol , calcium and other elements present in the blood) inside it; This accumulation is known as atherosclerotic plaque and causes the arteries to become rigid and blood fluid cannot pass through them fluidly.
This obstruction occurs gradually, slowly reducing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. The way it can be detected is by the presence of chest pain, shortness of breath and similar symptoms. At an advanced level it causes heart attacks. When a patient arrives at the doctor's office with these symptoms , he or she refers him or her to a cardiologist who has specific preparation for all diseases related to the functioning of the heart, arteries and veins .
Among the tests that detect this disease are: electrocardiogram (ECG), stress test, electron beam computed tomography and blood tests , among others.
Severity of artery problems
In many people, the disease takes many years to manifest clearly and the symptoms do not become fully visible until the blockages are very serious and pose a threat to the patient's life . In these cases, the symptoms are present not only when the patient is making effort or physical exercise, but also when he is at rest.
It is worth mentioning that, although it is a disease more common among men, many women can suffer from this ailment and, in some of them, the symptoms are, in addition to those mentioned, nausea and pain in the back and jaw .
It is worth mentioning that not all heart attacks are clearly noticeable, so if you suffer from any of these symptoms, it is best to see a doctor to rule out possible conditions of this type.
a street
In another sense, the street of a town or city, to which many other streets flow, is known as an artery.
For example: "9 de Julio Avenue, one of the main arteries of the city of Buenos Aires, is blocked by a protest by state workers," "The city needs new arteries to avoid traffic congestion."