Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Anatomy | Coronary circulation and conducting system

Coronary circulation and conducting system
Session overview
Description
This session provides an overview of coronary circulation.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• name and describe the arterial supply and venous drainage of the heart
• identify the areas within the heart that are supplied by each vessel
• describe common anatomical variations in the coronary circulation
• recognise that knowledge of the coronary circulation is used in daily anaesthetic practice

The blood supply of the heart is an area that is fundamental to daily clinical practice. It is essential that you know these principles so that you can build on them when applying them to complex clinical perioperative challenges.

The endocardium is oxygenated directly by blood passing through the ventricles. The remainder of the myocardium requires perfusion by the coronary circulation. The coronary arteries receive 5% of cardiac output. They are considered 'end arteries' providing the sole blood supply to the downstream myocardium, with few anastomoses. Consequently, acute obstruction of blood flow results in myocardial ischaemia.