Sinoatrial nodal artery

Sinoatrial Nodal Artery is a blood vessel that supplies the Sinoatrial Node with oxygenated blood. The artery is a branch of either the Right Coronary Artery or the Left Circumflex Artery. The origin of the artery can vary among individuals, and this variation can have clinical significance.

Etymology

The term "Sinoatrial Nodal Artery" is derived from the Latin words "sinus", meaning "bay", "atrium", meaning "central room", and "nodus", meaning "knot". The term refers to the artery's function of supplying the sinoatrial node, which is the natural pacemaker of the heart.

Anatomy

The Sinoatrial Nodal Artery typically arises from the Right Coronary Artery in about 55% of individuals, and from the Left Circumflex Artery in about 45% of individuals. The artery travels in the atrioventricular groove, and supplies the Sinoatrial Node.

Clinical Significance

The Sinoatrial Nodal Artery is of clinical importance because it supplies the Sinoatrial Node, which is responsible for initiating the electrical impulses that regulate the heart's rhythm. Blockage of this artery can lead to Sinoatrial Node Dysfunction, also known as Sick Sinus Syndrome.

Related Terms

• Coronary Arteries
• Sinoatrial Node
• Right Coronary Artery
• Left Circumflex Artery
• Sinoatrial Node Dysfunction
• Sick Sinus Syndrome

Sinoatrial_nodal_artery

• 
  Sinoatrial node under low magnification
• 
  Diagram of cardiac vessels
• Sinoatrial artery from left circumflex artery
  Sinoatrial artery from left circumflex artery
• Volume rendered image of SA artery from LCx
  Volume rendered image of SA artery from LCx
• 
  Anatomical illustration of the heart