Sydänsepelvaltimot

Sydänsepelvaltimot, also known as coronary arteries, are blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. They originate from the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart, just above the aortic valve.

There are typically two main coronary arteries: the left coronary artery and the right coronary artery. The left coronary artery branches into the left anterior descending artery and the left circumflex artery. The left anterior descending artery supplies the front and bottom of the left ventricle and the anterior two-thirds of the interventricular septum. The left circumflex artery supplies the back and left side of the left ventricle. The right coronary artery supplies the right atrium, right ventricle, and the back wall of the left ventricle in most people.

These arteries are crucial for the continuous functioning of the heart. If the blood flow through the coronary arteries becomes restricted or blocked, it can lead to a lack of oxygen to the heart muscle, a condition known as ischemia. Severe or prolonged ischemia can result in a heart attack, medically termed myocardial infarction, where heart muscle tissue is damaged or dies. Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque within the artery walls, is the most common cause of coronary artery narrowing and blockage.