What are the coronary arteries?
1 Answer
The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that provide the heart itself with blood flow.
Explanation:
Every organ in the body must be perfused with blood in order to receive the nutrients and oxygen necessary for cells to remain viable.
The heart receives its blood supply from the coronary arteries which are the most proximal branches of the ascending aorta.
In a right dominant heart (85% of people), the right coronary artery supplies the right, inferior, and posterior portions of the heart. The left coronary artery supplies the anterior portion and left wall.
Atherosclerosis is a process by which many arteries can become occluded. When an atherosclerotic plaque ruptures in a coronary artery, it can lead to total or partial occlusion of the blood supply to that particular area of the heart - also known as a heart attack.
