In the
blood supply of the heart, the right coronary artery (RCA) is an
artery
An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...
originating above the right cusp of the
aortic valve
The aortic valve is a valve in the heart of humans and most other animals, located between the left ventricle and the aorta. It is one of the four valves of the heart and one of the two semilunar valves, the other being the pulmonary valve. Th ...
, at the
right aortic sinus in the
heart
The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as ca ...
.
It travels down the right
coronary sulcus, towards the
crux of the heart.
It supplies the right side of the heart, and the
interventricular septum
The interventricular septum (IVS, or ventricular septum, or during development septum inferius) is the stout wall separating the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, from one another.
The ventricular septum is directed obliquely backwar ...
.
Structure
The right coronary artery originates above the
right aortic sinus above the
aortic valve
The aortic valve is a valve in the heart of humans and most other animals, located between the left ventricle and the aorta. It is one of the four valves of the heart and one of the two semilunar valves, the other being the pulmonary valve. Th ...
.
It passes through the right
coronary sulcus (right atrioventricular groove), towards the
crux of the heart.
It gives off many branches, including the
posterior interventricular artery, the
right marginal artery
The right marginal branch of right coronary artery (or right marginal artery) is the largest marginal branch of the right coronary artery. It follows the acute margin of the heart. It supplies blood to both surfaces of the right ventricle.
Stru ...
, the
conus artery, and the
sinoatrial nodal artery.
Segments
* Proximal: starting at RCA origin, spanning half the distance to the
acute margin
* Middle: from proximal segment to the acute margin
* Distal: from middle segment to origination point of the posterior interventricular artery, where the
posterior interventricular sulcus meets the
atrioventricular groove
The coronary sulcus (also called coronary groove, auriculoventricular groove, atrioventricular groove, AV groove) is a groove on the surface of the heart at the base of right auricle that separates the atria from the ventricles. The structure c ...
on the base of the heart.
Variations
In approximately 80% of patients (Right Dominant), the RCA gives off the
posterior descending artery (PDA). In the other 20%, of cases (Left Dominant or Codominant), the PDA is given off by the
left circumflex artery or is supplied by both the right coronary artery and the left circumflex. The PDA supplies the
inferior wall,
ventricular septum, and the posteromedial
papillary muscle.
The RCA also supplies the
SA nodal artery in 60% of people. The other 40% of the time, the SA nodal artery is supplied by the
left circumflex artery.
Although rare, several anomalous courses of the right coronary artery have been described including origin from the left aortic sinus.
Function
The right coronary artery supplies oxygenated blood to the
right atrium, the
right ventricle
A ventricle is one of two large chambers toward the bottom of the heart that collect and expel blood towards the peripheral beds within the body and lungs. The blood pumped by a ventricle is supplied by an atrium, an adjacent chamber in the uppe ...
, and the posterior third and inferior end of the
interventricular septum
The interventricular septum (IVS, or ventricular septum, or during development septum inferius) is the stout wall separating the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, from one another.
The ventricular septum is directed obliquely backwar ...
.
It may also supply 25% to 35% of the
left ventricle
A ventricle is one of two large chambers toward the bottom of the heart that collect and expel blood towards the peripheral beds within the body and lungs. The blood pumped by a ventricle is supplied by an atrium, an adjacent chamber in the uppe ...
(LV).
There is significant
overlap
Overlap may refer to:
* In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram.
* In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases
* O ...
of supply of the
coronary arteries
The coronary arteries are the arterial blood vessels of coronary circulation, which transport oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. The heart requires a continuous supply of oxygen to function and survive, much like any other tissue or organ ...
.
The right coronary artery is dominant over the
left coronary artery 50% of the time, equal to it 20% of the time, and less significant than it 30% of the time.
Additional images
File:Coronary arteries 2.jpg, Right coronary artery
File:Gray505.png, The arch of the aorta, and its branches.
File:AMI scheme.png, Diagram of a myocardial infarction.
File:Aortic stenosis rheumatic, gross pathology 20G0014 lores.jpg, Aorta
The aorta ( ) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries (the common iliac arteries). The aorta distributes o ...
and coronary arteries at autopsy
An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any d ...
. The proximal portion of the RCA and its ostium can be seen at the lower left.
File:Human heart with coronary arteries new.png, Human heart with coronary arteries
File:Fetal right coronary artery.JPG, Fetal heart - right coronary artery
References
External links
Overviewat
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit American academic medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio. Owned and operated by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, an Ohio nonprofit corporation established in 1921, it runs a 170-acre (69 ha) campus in Cleveland, ...
*
* ()
* - "Anterior view of the heart."
{{Authority control
Arteries of the thorax