Anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery

Artery: Anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery
Sternocostal surface of heart. (Anterior descending branch labeled at upper right.)
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.

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.

"The Widowmaker"

Because the LAD provides much of the bloodflow for the left ventricle, which in turn provides much of the propulsive force for ejecting oxygenated blood to systemic circulation via the Aorta - blockage of this artery is particularly associated with mortality. In the medical community ischemic heart attacks associated with this blood vessel are colloquially called "the widowmaker."

Additional images

Coronary arteries (labeled in red text) and other major landmarks (in blue text). Left anterior descending (or interventricular) artery is labeled at right.

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  The arch of the aorta, and its branches.

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  Heart attack

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  Cardiac vessels

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  Human heart with coronary arteries

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  Heart coronary territories

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."
• 168165435 at GPnotebook

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.