Meaning of Artery
From the Latin artery, an artery is a vessel or conduit that is responsible for carrying blood from the heart to other parts of the body. In this sense, it fulfills the reverse task of the veins, which carry blood from the capillaries to the heart.
According to DigoPaul, the arteries are elastic and membranous ducts that have divergent ramifications. These blood vessels are made up of three layers: an external or adventitial layer (of connective tissue), a middle layer (with muscle fibers) and an internal or intimate layer (made up of the endothelium and a subendothelial connective layer).
There are two major arteries systems: the system of the aorta and the system of the artery lung.
From the arch of the aorta, various branches arise, such as the carotid artery, the bronchial arteries, the lumbar arteries, the renal arteries, the coronary arteries, and the 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 from the right ventricle of the heart and is divided into two terminal branches, the right pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary artery. Of course, these branches target the lungs.
In another sense, the street of a town or city is known as an artery, to which many other streets flow. 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 congestions”.
Coronary artery disease
One of the main causes of death in many countries of the world is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, in both the male and female populations. It is caused by obstruction of a coronary artery which results in a heart attack or myocardial infarction due to the inefficient supply of blood 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 cause the arteries to become stiff and blood fluid cannot flow through it.
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 the like. At an advanced level it causes heart attacks.
When a patient comes to the doctor’s office with these symptoms, they refer him to the cardiologist who has a specific preparation for all diseases related to the functioning of the heart, arteries and veins.
Tests to detect this disease include: electrocardiogram (ECG), stress test, electron beam computed tomography, and blood tests, among others.
In many people the disease takes many years to manifest itself clearly and the symptoms do not become fully visible until the blockages are very severe and threaten the life of the patient. 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 more present disease among men, many women can suffer from this ailment and, in some of them, the symptoms are, in addition to the aforementioned, nausea and pain in the back and jaw.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that not all heart attacks are clearly noted, so if you suffer any of these symptoms, it is recommended to see a doctor to rule out possible conditions of this type.