Coronary Artery

What is Coronary Artery?

A coronary artery is one of the arteries that branch from the aorta just above the aortic valve and run over and into the wall of the heart, supplying the cardiac muscle itself with oxygen and glucose. Because cardiac muscle contracts continuously it respires aerobically at a high rate, so any narrowing or blockage of a coronary artery reduces the delivery of oxygen and glucose, limits aerobic respiration in that region of muscle, and may damage it.

This definition is part of the Transport in Humans chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.

Concepts related to Coronary Artery

• Aerobic Respiration
• cardiac muscle
• coronary heart disease