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Right coronary artery (anatomy)

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The right coronary artery arises from the anterior - right - aortic sinus. It passes inferiorly and to the right within the atrioventricular groove. It can be traced on the sternocostal surface running from the right side of the aortic root to the right, inferior border of the heart. During this part of its course between right atrium and ventricle, it gives off multiple small branches and several larger branches, typically a:

  • left atrial artery
  • conus artery
  • sinuatrial nodal artery
  • right atrial artery
  • right marginal artery

Having reached the most inferior point of the atrioventricular groove on the sternocostal surface, the right coronary artery then follows the groove onto the inferior surface of the heart. Within the groove, the right coronary artery then gives off further branches:

  • atrioventricular nodal artery
  • posterior interventricular artery

The right coronary artery terminates by anastomosing with the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery on the posterior surface of the heart near to the inferior margin of the left atrium.

The right coronary artery and its branches supply the:

  • right atrium
  • right ventricle
  • part of the left ventricle
  • interventricular septum - posterior part
  • nodes:
    • sinuatrial in 55% of the population
    • atrioventricular in 80% of the population

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