coronary sinus

(noun)

a collection of veins joined together to form a large vessel that collects blood from the heart muscle

Related Terms

Examples of coronary sinus in the following topics:

  • Blood Flow in the Heart

    • The heart has its own circulation system, coronary circulation, which is part of systemic circulation.
    • The coronary arteries derive from the aorta and run along the surface of the heart and within the muscle to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium.
    • The coronary veins remove deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle, returning it through the coronary sinus into the right atrium.
    • When healthy, the coronary arteries are capable of autoregulation to maintain blood flow at levels appropriate to the needs of the heart muscle.
    • The coronary circulation supplies the heart muscle with the oxygen and nutrients it requires to function.

  • Ascending Aorta

    • The two anterior sinuses give rise to the coronary arteries, while the third posterior sinus does not usually give rise to any vessels and so is known as the non-coronary sinus.

  • Principal Veins

    • The cardiac veins merge into the coronary sinus, which empties directly into the right atrium.

  • Structures of the Heart

    • Coronary circulation intrinsic to the heart takes blood directly from the main artery (aorta) coming from the heart.
    • In addition, the right atrium receives blood from the coronary sinus, which drains deoxygenated blood from the heart itself.
    • The coronary arteries branch from the aorta, surrounding the outer surface of the heart like a crown.
    • (b) Blood vessels of the coronary system, including the coronary arteries and veins, keep the heart muscles oxygenated.
    • The coronary circuit, which provides blood to the heart, is not shown.

  • Arrhythmia

    • In normal electrical activity, each heart beat originates as an electrical impulse from a small area of tissue in the right atrium of the heart called the sinus node or sino-atrial node or SA node.
    • This may be caused by a slowed signal from the sinus node (sinus bradycardia), a pause in the normal activity of the sinus node (sinus arrest), or by blocking of the electrical impulse on its way from the atria to the ventricles (AV block or heart block).
    • While this rhythm occurs most often in individuals with cardiovascular disease (e.g., hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy) and diabetes, it may occur spontaneously in people with otherwise normal hearts.
    • Schematic diagram of normal sinus rhythm for a human heart as seen on ECG.

  • Carotid Sinus Syncope and Massage

    • The carotid sinus is a localized dilation of the internal carotid artery at its origin, the common carotid artery .
    • The carotid sinus often has atherosclerotic plaques.
    • Massage of the carotid sinus, or carotid sinus massage, is used to diagnose carotid sinus syncope.
    • The carotid sinus can also be oversensitive to carotid sinus massage.
    • Carotid sinus syncope sometimes accompanies convulsive seizures because of the intensity of the carotid sinus reflex when pressure builds in one or both carotid sinuses.

  • Heart Circulation

    • Coronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart.
    • Atherosclerotic plaques in a coronary artery will slowly occlude (block) the vessel.
    • There are multiple coronary arteries derived from the larger right and left coronary arteries.
    • For example, important coronary arteries that branch off from the larger arteries include the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary and the right posterior coronary.
    • Coronary arteries labeled in red text and other landmarks in blue text.

  • Congestive Heart Failure

    • Ischemic cardiomyopathy implies that the cause of muscle damage is coronary artery disease.
    • Initially, this helps compensate for heart failure by maintaining blood pressure and perfusion, but it places further strain on the myocardium, increasing coronary perfusion requirements, which can lead to worsening of ischemic heart disease.
    • This destimulates baroreceptors in the carotid sinus and aortic arch which links to the nucleus tractus solitarius.

  • Coronary Artery Disease

    • Coronary artery disease (CAD) describes the accumulation of atheromatous or fatty plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries.
    • Coronary artery disease (CAD; also atherosclerotic heart disease) is the result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries that supply the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) with oxygen and nutrients.
    • It is sometimes also called coronary heart disease (CHD).
    • While the symptoms and signs of coronary artery disease are noted in the advanced state of disease, most individuals with coronary artery disease show no evidence of disease for decades as the disease progresses before the first onset of symptoms, often a sudden heart attack, finally arises.
    • Image showing right coronary artery (RCA), left coronary artery (LCA) and a infarct (1) with necrotic or dead myocardium (2).

  • Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction

    • If part of the heart seems to receive an insufficient blood supply, coronary angiography may be used to identify narrowing of the coronary arteries and suitability for angioplasty or bypass surgery.
    • In patients with heart failure, stress testing or coronary angiography may be performed to identify and treat underlying coronary artery disease.
    • Treatments for acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction include coronary angioplasty, treatment with thrombolysis "clot buster" medication, and coronary bypass, where narrowed blood vessels on the heart are replaced.
    • In coronary artery disease, these atherosclerotic plaques build up in the coronary arteries and rupture may lead to ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction.
    • Right coronary artery (RCA).