This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Left anterior descending is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
| Artery: Anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sternocostal surface of heart. (Anterior descending branch labeled at upper right.) | |
 |
|
| The arch of the aorta, and its branches. | |
| Latin | ramus interventricularis anterior arteriae coronariae sinistrae |
| Gray's | subject #142 547 |
| Supplies | anterolateral myocardium, apex, interventricular septum, 45-55% of the left ventricle (LV) |
| Source | left coronary artery |
| Branches | septals, diagonals |
The "LAD", or left anterior descending artery (or anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery, or anterior descending branch) is an artery of the heart.
Contents |
Course
It passes at first behind the pulmonary artery and then comes forward between that vessel and the left auricula to reach the anterior interventricular sulcus, along which it descends to the incisura apicis cordis.
In 78% of cases, it reaches the apex of the heart.
Supply
It supplies the anterolateral myocardium, apex, and interventricular septum. The LAD typically supplies 45-55% of the left ventricle (LV).
Branches
The LAD gives off two types of branches: septals and diagonals.
- Septals originate from the LAD at 90 degrees to the surface of the heart, perforating and supplying the interventricular septum.
- Diagonals run along the surface of the heart and supply the lateral wall of the left ventricle and the anterolateral papillary muscle.
Additional images
 |
External links
- anterior+interventricular+branch%20of%20left%20coronary%20artery at eMedicine Dictionary
- SUNY Labs 20:09-0102 - "Heart: The Left Coronary Artery and its Branches"
- SUNY Figs 20:03-08 - "Anterior view of the heart."
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
 |
This cardiovascular system article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 15 April 2008, at 15:02.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Left anterior descending".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.