Cardiac veins

Cardiac Veins

Diagram of the human heart, with the cardiac veins highlighted.

The cardiac veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle (myocardium) back to the heart. They are an essential part of the cardiovascular system and play a crucial role in the circulatory system.

Structure

The cardiac veins consist of several veins, including the great cardiac vein, the middle cardiac vein, the small cardiac vein, and the anterior cardiac veins. These veins run along the surface of the heart, following the coronary arteries.

Great Cardiac Vein

The great cardiac vein travels along the anterior interventricular sulcus and continues around the left margin of the heart to join the coronary sinus.

Middle Cardiac Vein

The middle cardiac vein runs in the posterior interventricular sulcus, draining the areas supplied by the posterior descending artery.

Small Cardiac Vein

The small cardiac vein runs in the coronary sulcus between the right atrium and right ventricle, draining the right anterior ventricular branches and the right marginal branch.

Anterior Cardiac Veins

The anterior cardiac veins drain the right ventricle and open directly into the right atrium.

Function

The cardiac veins return deoxygenated blood from the myocardium to the right atrium of the heart. This blood is then sent to the lungs to be oxygenated before it is pumped back to the rest of the body.

Clinical Significance

Understanding the anatomy and function of the cardiac veins is crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.

See Also

• Coronary circulation
• Heart
• Vein
• Blood vessel