Arteries are blood vessels (like your veins). Arteries move blood from your heart out to your body. Your aorta is your biggest artery. It starts at the top of your heart and curves down, running through your chest and belly. Without aortic disease treatment, your body won't get enough oxygen.
At UVA Health's Aortic Center, our aortic and artery experts work closely with you on the best course of treatment. Whether it's simple management or complex surgery, we can help.
Nationally Recognized Aortic & Artery Care at UVA Health
Four of our heart treatment services have been named as "high performing" by U.S. News & World Report, including:
See other rewards and recognition we've received for our heart care.
Advanced Treatments You Can't Get Everywhere
Genetic Counseling
Genetic counseling guides you when you're at high risk for having aortic disease. We'll help you understand your options at our Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic in the Heart & Vascular Center.
Research Pioneers
We welcome complex cases. Our robust heart and vascular research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) We lead many national clinical trials focused on heart treatments. Find out if you can get into a clinical trial.
Advanced Facilities
We have 4 state-of-the-art operating rooms. This lets us offer treatments that combine complex open surgery with less invasive techniques.
The Aortic Center at UVA Health
Our comprehensive care team and state-of-the-art technology are available to aortic patients in one central location – making us one of the premier aortic centers in the region. View Aortic Center transcript.
Arterial & Aortic Conditions We Treat
- Carotid artery disease
- Femoral aneurysm
- Fibromuscular dysplasia
- Iliac aneurysm
- Inflammatory arteritis
- Innominate artery disease
- Marfan syndrome
- Mesenteric arterial disease
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Popliteal aneurysm
- Subclavian aneurysm
- Subclavian (steal) artery disease
- Takayasu's arteritis
- Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Vasculitis
- Visceral aneurysm
Your Care Team
Your specially trained team might include:
- Cardiologists
- Vascular specialists
- Heart surgeons
- Vascular surgeons
- Interventional radiologists
- Heart geneticists
Our Aortic Center brings these and other experts together in one area of UVA Health. This means quicker access to specialists focused on your treatment and recovery. We also work closely with other care teams, like physical therapists, nutritionists, and rheumatologists, to make sure you're getting the support you need.
Get to Know Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis: what is it, and what does it mean for our heart and vascular health? In this quick primer from UVA Health, we walk you through what atherosclerosis is and some signs you may have it. See the symptoms of atherosclerosis transcript.
