Coronary Arteries

how the heart delivers blood to tself.

the vascular system of the heart delivering blood to itself is called

Coronary Circulation

Aorta

• main blood supplier of the body

• branches off into 2 main coronary blood vessels

• these main coronary Arteries branch off into smaller arteries which supply the heart with oxygen rich blood

two main arteries from Aorta

Right Coronary and Left coronary

Right Coronary Artery

supplies blood mainly to the right side of the heart

Left Coronary Artery

branches off into two other arteries** & supplies blood to left side

Two other left coronary arteries

Circumflex Artery & Left Anterior Descending Artery

why does the left side of the heart get two additional arteries while the right side only gets one?

this is because the left side has the job of pumping blood to the entire body and hence, more muscle to feed

the right side only has to deliver blood to the lungs which are right next door

“Windowmaker“ meaning

nickname used to describe a highly stenotic(narrow) left main coronary artery

Stenosis

constriction or narrowing of a blood vessel

Atheroslcerosis

a form of Arteriosclerosis; deposition of atheromatous plaques containing cholesterol and lipids on the innermost layer of the walls of large and medium sized arteries

Arteriosclerosis

hardening, thickening, and loss of elasticity of arterial walls, resulting in impared blood circulation.

developes with aging, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidema, and other conditions