Coronary circulation
hideCoronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle. Although blood fills the chambers of the heart, the muscle tissue of the heart (the myocardium) is so thick that it requires coronary blood vessels to deliver blood deep into it. The vessels that deliver oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium are known as coronary arteries. The vessels that remove the deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle are known as coronary veins.
The coronary arteries that run on the surface of the heart are called epicardial coronary arteries. These arteries, when healthy, are capable of autoregulation to maintain coronary blood flow at levels appropriate to the needs of the heart muscle. These relatively narrow vessels are commonly affected by atherosclerosis and can become blocked, causing angina or a heart attack. (See also: circulatory system.) The coronary arteries that run deep within the myocardium are referred to as subendocardial.
The coronary arteries are classified as "end circulation", since they represent the only source of blood supply to the myocardium: there is very little redundant blood supply, which is why blockage of these vessels can be so critical.
For more information about Coronary circulation, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with coronary artery
Researchers using excimer laser angioplasty to blast arterial blockages in heart and kidneys
12 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using an excimer laser to widen narrowed or obstructed blood vessels in hard-to-reach areas of heart and kidney arteries may be feasible and safe, according to a study by a team of researchers from the Virginia ...
Small increases in phosphorus mean higher risk of heart disease
Nov 05, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries— a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American So ...
Statins may worsen symptoms in some cardiac patients
Nov 03, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
3
Although statins are widely used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular disorders, new research shows that the class of drugs may actually have negative effects on some cardiac patients. A new study presented ...
Quality improvement program increases hospitals' adherence to evidenced-based care
Oct 27, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Participation in the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines quality improvement program significantly improves hospitals' adherence to evidence-based therapies and reduces gender- and age-related disparities ...
Heart test found safe for pre-transplant kidney patients
Oct 15, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
A screening test that measures whether a patient's heart is healthy enough for a kidney transplant is not as dangerous as once thought, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the Am ...
Calcium scans may be effective screening tool for heart disease
Sep 30, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
A simple, non-invasive test appears to be an effective screening tool for identifying patients with silent heart disease who are at risk for a heart attack or sudden death. Coronary artery calcium scans can be done without ...
Flu boosts heart-attack risk, says study
Sep 21, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
0
Heart problems may account for a huge share of deaths from influenza, according to a study published on Tuesday that recommends cardiac patients be vaccinated against flu.
Comprehensive cardiac CT scan may give clearer picture of significant heart disease
Sep 15, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
0
A team of researchers led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) radiologists has developed a computed-tomography-based protocol that identifies both narrowing of coronary arteries and areas of myocardial ischemia - restricted ...
Study examines stroke risk among patients undergoing cardiac surgery
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Sep 14, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery, post-operative stroke occurred in approximately 2 percent, was not correlated with significant carotid artery narrowing, but was more common among patients who had combined cardiac ...
Cutting sodium consumption: A major public health priority
Sep 14, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Reducing sodium intake is a major public health priority that must be acted upon by governments and nongovernmental organizations to improve population health, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Cardiac biomarker levels strongly predict outcome of bypass surgery
Sep 04, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Levels of a biomarker used in the diagnosis of heart attacks are almost universally elevated in patients who have undergone coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) and, when markedly elevated, are powerfully prognostic, a ...
The benefits of reperfusion therapy
Sep 01, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
The wider use of reperfusion therapy in patients with heart attack (AMI) can save millions of lives in Europe. Effective reperfusion therapy in an AMI patient can cut the individual risk of dying by half. AMI is caused by ...
Diabetic patients require global care
Aug 31, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Diabetes mellitus-associated coronary artery disease (CAD) is assuming epidemic proportions, especially in western countries. Both coronary revascularization and medical management have improved tremendously over the last ...
Genes in prevention: Hopes and doubts
Aug 31, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
At present almost every month there are papers reporting the discovery of new genetic variants that affect the risk of coronary artery disease and heart attacks. This is a truly exciting time for both researchers and clinicians ...
Men with angina at twice the risk of heart attack and death compared with women
Aug 07, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Men with angina are twice as likely to have a heart attack and almost three times as likely to suffer a heart disease-related death than women with the same condition, finds a study published on bmj.com today ...
