A great way to determine whether you a hot air balloon ride is for you is to try a tethered balloon ride at a fair or publicity event. In a tethered ride, balloons are anchored and pilots simply fly the balloon up and down with passengers in tow. Rides are short and last just a few minutes each.
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The aorta begins at the top of the left ventricle, the heart's muscular pumping chamber. The heart pumps blood from the left ventricle into the aorta through the aortic valve. Three leaflets on the aortic valve open and close with each heartbeat to allow one-way flow of blood. The aorta is a tube about a foot long and just over an inch in diameter.
The aorta is the largest and most important blood vessel in the body. Originating from the heart, this aorta transports much-needed nutrients to the chest, abdomen, and legs. An aortic dissection occurs when the inner lining of the artery ruptures. Blood then floods the tear resulting in the separation (dissection) of its inner and central layers. If blood overflows beyond the outer wall of the aorta, aortic dissection can often result in death. Aortic dissection represents the most frequent trauma of the aorta and is 2-3 times more prevalent than abdominal aortic tearing.