In order to understand why CAD is such a fatal disease, one must understand the coronary circulation of the heart. Coronary circulation is essentially the circulation of blood in the vessels of the myocardium (Heart muscle) that ultimately deliver oxygen-rich blood to the heart. The two main blood vessels that are associated with coronary circulation are the right coronary artery and the left coronary artery. These two major arteries bifurcate off of the Aorta and encircle the heart ultimately meeting at the coronary sinus. The left main coronary artery which runs across the left side of the heart and passes between the pulmonary trunk and left auricle gives origin to two smaller coronary arteries: the anterior interventricular artery (Also
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The coronary veins are responsible for collecting the oxygen-depleted blood which is a result of the exchanging of oxygen-rich blood within the capillary beds of the myocardium. The three major coronary arteries associated with coronary circulation are the small cardiac vein, the middle cardiac vein, and the great cardiac vein. These three coronary veins ultimately join to form the coronary sinus which is essentially an enlarged vessel that allows for venous blood to be emptied into the right atrium. The orifice of coronary sinus which is where the coronary sinus ultimately drains into the right atrium is essentially guarded by the thebesian valve (Gilroy, 2013). The small cardiac vein which runs along the same path as the right marginal artery, receives deoxygenated blood from the anterior/lateral aspect of the right ventricle while the middle cardiac vein runs parallel with the posterior interventricular artery and receives deoxygenated blood from the posterior aspect of both the left and right ventricles as well as the posterior aspect of the interventricular septum (Cummings, 2013). Concerning the great cardiac vein which accompanies the anterior interventricular artery and anastomoses with the middle cardiac vein, it is responsible for draining deoxygenated blood from the anterior surfaces of the left ventricle (Cummings, 2013). In addition to these three coronary arteries, there are several anterior cardiac veins which collect venous blood from the right ventricle and drain directly into the right atrium (Cummings,
The coronary veins are responsible for collecting the oxygen-depleted blood which is a result of the exchanging of oxygen-rich blood within the capillary beds of the myocardium. The three major coronary arteries associated with coronary circulation are the small cardiac vein, the middle cardiac vein, and the great cardiac vein. These three coronary veins ultimately join to form the coronary sinus which is essentially an enlarged vessel that allows for venous blood to be emptied into the right atrium. The orifice of coronary sinus which is where the coronary sinus ultimately drains into the right atrium is essentially guarded by the thebesian valve (Gilroy, 2013). The small cardiac vein which runs along the same path as the right marginal artery, receives deoxygenated blood from the anterior/lateral aspect of the right ventricle while the middle cardiac vein runs parallel with the posterior interventricular artery and receives deoxygenated blood from the posterior aspect of both the left and right ventricles as well as the posterior aspect of the interventricular septum (Cummings, 2013). Concerning the great cardiac vein which accompanies the anterior interventricular artery and anastomoses with the middle cardiac vein, it is responsible for draining deoxygenated blood from the anterior surfaces of the left ventricle (Cummings, 2013). In addition to these three coronary arteries, there are several anterior cardiac veins which collect venous blood from the right ventricle and drain directly into the right atrium (Cummings,