ANATOMY
The Coronary Arteries
Just like the rest of your body, the heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen. The coronary arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle.
As blood leaves the left ventricle, it begins its journey to your body through the aorta. At the very beginning of the aorta, near the top of your heart, two arteries branch off and go directly to your heart muscle. These are the "left" and "right" coronary arteries.
The first part of the left coronary artery is the left main artery. It is about as wide as a drinking straw and less than one-inch long. The left main artery divides into the left anterior descending artery, which travels down the side of your heart; and the left circumflex, which circles around the left side and then to the back of your heart.
The right coronary artery comes from the aorta, circles around the right side and then to the back of your heart.
The coronary arteries are on the surface of your heart and gradually divide into smaller branches. These penetrate deep into the heart muscle, carrying oxygen-rich blood to the cells.
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