What is the Coronary System
The coronary system is comprised of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and cardiac veins and venules. The coronary arteries originate with right and left main coronary arteries which exit the ascending aorta just above the aortic valve. These two branches subdivide and course over the surface of the heart (epicardium) as they traverse away from the aorta. These arteries arborize into progressively smaller branches that progress inward to penetrate the epicardium and supply blood to the transmural myocardium. These coronary arteries branch into arterioles, which then branch into innumerable capillaries that deliver oxygenated blood to all of the heart's cells. Blood continues through the capillaries to begin the return back into the cardiac chambers via various drainage routes. The majority of capillaries drain into venules, which then empty into the coronary venous system. The coronary veins can be categorized into 2 subgroups: the greater and smaller cardiac venous system. The coronary veins return the deoxygenated blood back to the chambers of the heart.
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