The main artery leading away from the heart is call the aorta which receives blood from the main pumping section of the heart, the left ventricle. This blood is richly oxygenated. At a region of the aorta called the "ascending aorta" branch off the carotid arteries that nourish the brain and the structures of the head.<ref>http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1557</ref> | The main artery leading away from the heart is call the aorta which receives blood from the main pumping section of the heart, the left ventricle. This blood is richly oxygenated. At a region of the aorta called the "ascending aorta" branch off the carotid arteries that nourish the brain and the structures of the head.<ref>http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1557</ref> |