Coronary circulation

(noun)

The circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle.

Related Terms

Examples of Coronary circulation 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 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.
    • Circulation of blood through the chambers of the heart.
    • The coronary circulation supplies the heart muscle with the oxygen and nutrients it requires to function.

  • Heart Circulation

    • Coronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart.
    • Coronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle.
    • 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.

  • Systemic and Pulmonary Circulation

    • The cardiovascular system has two distinct circulatory paths, pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation.
    • From the left ventricle, the blood is pumped through the aortic valve into the aorta to travel through systemic circulation, delivering oxygenated blood to the body before returning again to the pulmonary circulation.
    • From the right atrium, the blood will travel through the pulmonary circulation to be oxygenated before returning gain to the system circulation.
    • Coronary circulation, blood supply to the heart muscle itself, is also part of the systemic circulation.
    • Diagram of pulmonary circulation.

  • Energy Requirements

    • Coronary circulation branches from the aorta soon after it leaves the heart, and supplies the heart with the nutrients and oxygen needed to sustain aerobic metabolism.

  • Principal Veins

    • Other important venous systems include the cardiac veins, which return blood from the heart tissue back to the general circulation.
    • The cardiac veins merge into the coronary sinus, which empties directly into the right atrium.
    • It functions to supply the liver with blood and required metabolites, but also ensures that ingested substances are first processed in the liver before reaching the wider systemic circulation.

  • Anastomoses

    • Arterio-arterial anastomoses include actual joins (e.g. palmar arch, plantar arch) and potential ones, which may only function if the  normal vessel is damaged or blocked (e.g. coronary arteries and cortical branch of cerebral arteries).
    • The arrangement of the brain's arteries into the circle of Willis creates redundancies for the cerebral circulation.
    • Coronary artery anastomoses.
    • The coronary arteries are functionally end arteries, so these meetings are referred to as anatomical anastamoses, which lack function.
    • If one coronary artery is obstructed by an atheroma, a degradation of the arterial walls, the second artery is still able to supply oxygenated blood to the myocardium.

  • 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.

  • Great Vessels of the Heart

    • The human circulatory system is a double system, meaning there are two separate systems of blood flow: pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation.
    • The aorta is the largest of the arteries in systemic circulation.
    • Blood pressure is highest in the aorta and diminishes through circulation, reaching its lowest points at the end of venous circulation.
    • It breaks off into the aortic sinuses, some of which form the coronary arteries.
    • Diagram of pulmonary circulation.

  • Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction

    • Acute chest pain- acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina or myocardial infarction
    • 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).

  • 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).