Coronary Circulation Flashcards
What is the function of coronary arteries?
Supply oxygenated blood to the myocardium.
What is the function of cardiac veins?
Remove deoxygenated blood from the myocardium.
When is blood flow in the coronary arteries at its max and at its min?
Max- Diastole (Ventricular relaxation)
Min- Systole (Ventricular contraction)
What is a myocardial infarction?
Blocked coronary artery, also known as a heart attack.
Arises from the aorta, superior to the left cusp of aortic valve, and is shorter than the right coronary artery.
Left coronary artery (LDA).
What are the branches of the LDA?
Left anterior descending artery (LAD), and Left circumflex artery (LCX).
It supplies the anterior region of the left ventricle, including the anterolateral myocardium, apex, anterior interventricular septum, and the anterolateral papillary muscle.
Left anterior descending artery (LAD).
Wraps around the left side of the heart in the AV groove and supplies the posterolateral side of the left ventricle.
Left circumflex artery (LCX).
Arises from the aorta, superior to the right cusp of the aortic valve.
Right coronary artery (RCA).
What are the branches of the RCA?
SA nodal artery, Right marginal artery, and Posterior descending artery.
Passes between the right atrium and the opening of the superior vena cava and supplies the SA node.
SA nodal artery.
Supplies the right ventricle wall.
Right marginal artery.
Supplies the inferior heart wall, posterior interventricular septum, and the posteromedial papillary muscle.
Posterior descending artery.
The largest cardiac vein and lies posteriorly in the AV groove. This vein collects blood from the great, middle, and small cardiac veins. The blood returned to the right atrium via a small opening superior to the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve.
Coronary Sinus
Begins at the apex of the heart and ascends in the anterior interventricular groove, parallel to the left anterior descending artery, and drains into the coronary sinus.
Great cardiac vein.
