Coronary Arteries and Coronary Veins?

[rls303]

Hi all,
Was tutoring and I was wondering if my explanation is okay for these two? I alway got these confused:
Coronary veins: Just carry deoxygenated blood to the myocardium
Coronary Arteries: just carry oxygenated blood to the myocardium from lungs

Or is it different for these specific types? I can't recall from Physio!

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[rls303]

Courtesy of Perkins
"rls303,

I think you have it right. I think veins always carry deoxy blood to the heart and arteries always carry oxy blood away from the heart. The only time you have to be careful about the terms "vein" and "artery" are when it comes to the pulmonary vein and pulmonary artery. In this case, it reverses. The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the heart (this blood has passed through the lungs where the hemoglobin in the red blood cells have picked up oxygen) and the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs in order to fill up on oxygen."

Thanks for the reply! So where do the coronary veins and arteries start? Are the coronary arteries just an extension of the regular aorta? With that same token are the coronary veins just an extension of the vena cavae?

 

[Rabolisk]

Coronary arteries branch off from the aorta, and the coronary sinus (the endpoint of all coronary veins) drains directly into the right atrium. In those respects, it is not much different from any other systematic circulatory paths.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Sorry, but this forum is for MCAT Q&A. Not homework help. Closing thread.