Posterior descending artery

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Posterior descending artery
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Base and diaphragmatic surface of heart. (Posterior descending artery not visible, but it runs near the middle cardiac vein, which is labeled at the bottom.)
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ARTERIES:
RCA = right coronary
AB = atrial branches
SANB = sinuatrial nodal
RMA = right marginal
LCA = left coronary
CB = circumflex branch
LAD/AIB = anterior interventricular
LMA = left marginal
PIA/PDA = posterior descending
AVN = atrioventricular nodal

VEINS:
SCV = small cardiac
ACV = anterior cardiac
AIV/GCV = great cardiac
MCV = middle cardiac
CS = coronary sinus
Details
Source Right coronary artery
Vein Middle cardiac vein, posterior interventricular vein [1]
Supplies Ventricles
interventricular septum
Identifiers
Latin ramus interventricularis posterior arteriae
TA98 A12.2.03.108
TA2 4138
FMA 3840
Anatomical terminology

In the coronary circulation, the posterior descending artery (PDA), also called the posterior interventricular artery (PIV, PIA, or PIVA), is an artery running in the posterior interventricular sulcus to the apex of the heart where it meets with the left anterior descending artery also known as the anterior interventricular artery. The PDA supplies the posterior third of the interventricular septum. The remaining anterior two-thirds is supplied by the left anterior descending artery, which is a branch of left coronary artery.

Contents

It is typically a branch of the right coronary artery (70%, known as right dominance). Alternately, the PDA can be a branch of the circumflex coronary artery (10%, known as left dominance) which itself is a branch of the left coronary artery. It can also be supplied by an anastomosis of the left and right coronary artery (20%, known as co-dominance). [2]

Variants have been reported. [3]

The anatomical position of the artery is not really posterior, but inferior. The terminology posterior is based on viewing the heart from the "Valentine" position, not by the heart's actual position in the body. [4]

Additional images

Coronary arteries (labeled in red text) and other major landmarks (in blue text). Posterior descending artery is labeled at left. Coronary arteries.svg
Coronary arteries (labeled in red text) and other major landmarks (in blue text). Posterior descending artery is labeled at left.
Inferior interventricular artery.png







Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronary circulation</span> Circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle (myocardium)

Coronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the arteries and veins that supply the heart muscle (myocardium). Coronary arteries supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. Cardiac veins then drain away the blood after it has been deoxygenated. Because the rest of the body, and most especially the brain, needs a steady supply of oxygenated blood that is free of all but the slightest interruptions, the heart is required to function continuously. Therefore its circulation is of major importance not only to its own tissues but to the entire body and even the level of consciousness of the brain from moment to moment. Interruptions of coronary circulation quickly cause heart attacks, in which the heart muscle is damaged by oxygen starvation. Such interruptions are usually caused by coronary ischemia linked to coronary artery disease, and sometimes to embolism from other causes like obstruction in blood flow through vessels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papillary muscle</span> Heart ventricle muscles

The papillary muscles are muscles located in the ventricles of the heart. They attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves via the chordae tendineae and contract to prevent inversion or prolapse of these valves on systole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulmonary artery</span> Artery in pulmonary circulation carrying deoxygenated blood from heart to lungs

A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the main pulmonary artery or pulmonary trunk from the heart, and the smallest ones are the arterioles, which lead to the capillaries that surround the pulmonary alveoli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronary arteries</span> Artery of the coronary circulation which transports blood into and out of the cardiac muscle

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 of the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right coronary artery</span> Blood vessel supplying the human heart

In the blood supply of the heart, the right coronary artery (RCA) is an artery originating above the right cusp of the aortic valve, at the right aortic sinus in the heart. It travels down the right coronary sulcus, towards the crux of the heart. It gives off many branches, including the sinoatrial nodal artery, right marginal artery, posterior interventricular artery, conus artery, and atrioventricular nodal branch. It contributes the right side of the heart, and parts of the interventricular septum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interventricular septum</span> Wall of tissue separating ventricles of human heart

The interventricular septum is the stout wall separating the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, from one another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronary sinus</span> Set of veins which drain blood from the myocardium (heart muscle)

The coronary sinus is the largest vein of the heart. It drains over half of the deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle into the right atrium. It begins on the backside of the heart, in between the left atrium, and left ventricle; it begins at the junction of the great cardiac vein, and oblique vein of the left atrium. It receives multiple tributaries. It passes across the backside of the heart along a groove between left atrium and left ventricle, then drains into the right atrium at the orifice of the coronary sinus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great cardiac vein</span>

The great cardiac vein is a vein of the heart. It begins at the apex of the heart and ascends along the anterior interventricular sulcus before joining the oblique vein of the left atrium to form the coronary sinus upon the posterior surface of the heart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transverse cervical artery</span> Artery of the neck

The transverse cervical artery is an artery in the neck and a branch of the thyrocervical trunk, running at a higher level than the suprascapular artery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronary sulcus</span> Groove on the surface of the heart that separates the atria from the ventricles

The coronary sulcus is a groove on the surface of the heart at the base of right auricle that separates the atria from the ventricles. The structure contains the trunks of the nutrient vessels of the heart, and is deficient in front, where it is crossed by the root of the pulmonary trunk. On the posterior surface of the heart, the coronary sulcus contains the coronary sinus. The right coronary artery, circumflex branch of left coronary artery, and small cardiac vein all travel along parts of the coronary sulcus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circumflex branch of left coronary artery</span> Artery of heart

The circumflex branch of left coronary artery is a branch of the left coronary artery. It winds around the left side of the heart along the atrioventricular groove. It supplies the posterolateral portion of the left ventricle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right marginal branch of right coronary artery</span> Artery

The right marginal branch of right coronary 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.

Coronary artery anomalies are variations of the coronary circulation, affecting <1% of the general population. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath and syncope, although cardiac arrest may be the first clinical presentation. Several varieties are identified, with a different potential to cause sudden cardiac death.

A circulatory anastomosis is a connection between two blood vessels, such as between arteries, between veins or between an artery and a vein. Anastomoses between arteries and between veins result in a multitude of arteries and veins, respectively, serving the same volume of tissue. Such anastomoses occur normally in the body in the circulatory system, serving as back-up routes in a collateral circulation that allow blood to flow if one link is blocked or otherwise compromised, but may also occur pathologically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Left anterior descending artery</span> Artery of the heart

The left anterior descending artery is a branch of the left coronary artery. It supplies the anterior portion of the left ventricle. It provides about half of the arterial supply to the left ventricle and is thus considered the most important vessel supplying the left ventricle. Blockage of this artery is often called the widow-maker infarction due to a high risk of death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinoatrial nodal artery</span> Artery of the heart which supplies the sinoatrial node

The sinoatrial nodal artery, sinuatrial nodal artery or sinoatrial artery is an artery of the heart which supplies the sinoatrial node, the natural pacemaker center of the heart. It is usually a branch of the right coronary artery. It passes between the right atrium, and the opening of the superior vena cava.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atrioventricular nodal branch</span>

The atrioventricular nodal branch is a coronary artery that supplies arterial blood to the atrioventricular node, which is responsible for initiating muscular contraction of the ventricles. The AV nodal branch is most often a branch of the right coronary artery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crux cordis</span> Part of the cardiovascular system

The crux cordis or crux of the heart is the area on the lower back side of the heart where the coronary sulcus and the posterior interventricular sulcus meet. It is important surgically because the atrioventricular nodal artery, a small but vital vessel, passes in proximity to the crux of the heart. It is the anastomotic point of right and left coronary artery.

The heart is a muscular organ situated in the mediastinum. It consists of four chambers, four valves, two main arteries, and the conduction system. The left and right sides of the heart have different functions: the right side receives de-oxygenated blood through the superior and inferior venae cavae and pumps blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery, and the left side receives saturated blood from the lungs.

References

  1. Nerantzis CE, Lefkidis CA, Smirnoff TB, Agapitos EB, Davaris PS (November 1998). "Variations in the origin and course of the posterior interventricular artery in relation to the crux cordis and the posterior interventricular vein: an anatomical study". Anat. Rec. 252 (3): 413–7. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0185(199811)252:3<413::AID-AR9>3.0.CO;2-9 . PMID   9811219.
  2. Fuster, V; Alexander RW; O'Rourke RA (2001). Hurst's The Heart (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 53. ISBN   0-07-135694-0.
  3. Topaz O, Holdaway B, Bailey NT, Vetrovec GW (1997). "Anatomic variant of the posterior interventricular coronary artery: implications for coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction". Clin Anat. 10 (5): 303–6. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1098-2353(1997)10:5<303::AID-CA2>3.0.CO;2-R. PMID   9283726.
  4. Anderson, Robert H. (2004). "Cardiac anatomy revisited". Journal of Anatomy. 205 (3): 159–177. doi:10.1111/j.0021-8782.2004.00330.x. PMC   1571338 . PMID   15379923.