Which are major coronary veins?

Which are major coronary veins?

• A. Great Cardiac Vein, Middle Cardiac Vein, Small Cardiac Vein, and Coronary Sinus
• B. Great Saphenous Vein, Middle Cardiac Vein
• C. Anterior Cardiac Veins only
• D. Pulmonary Veins

Answer: (A)

The major coronary veins form the main venous drainage system of the heart and empty into the coronary sinus, which then drains into the right atrium. The great cardiac vein travels in the anterior interventricular sulcus alongside the left anterior descending artery and collects blood from the areas supplied by the left coronary circulation, eventually feeding the coronary sinus. The middle cardiac vein runs in the posterior interventricular sulcus and drains areas served by the posterior descending artery, also routing into the coronary sinus. The small cardiac vein courses along the right heart margin and typically drains into the coronary sinus as well. Together, these veins and the coronary sinus constitute the principal venous drainage of the heart. Other options aren’t part of the heart’s coronary drainage: the great saphenous vein is a leg vein, not a cardiac vein; anterior cardiac veins exist but drain directly into the right atrium rather than the coronary sinus; and pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, not venous blood from the heart muscle.

The major coronary veins form the main venous drainage system of the heart and empty into the coronary sinus, which then drains into the right atrium. The great cardiac vein travels in the anterior interventricular sulcus alongside the left anterior descending artery and collects blood from the areas supplied by the left coronary circulation, eventually feeding the coronary sinus. The middle cardiac vein runs in the posterior interventricular sulcus and drains areas served by the posterior descending artery, also routing into the coronary sinus. The small cardiac vein courses along the right heart margin and typically drains into the coronary sinus as well. Together, these veins and the coronary sinus constitute the principal venous drainage of the heart.

Other options aren’t part of the heart’s coronary drainage: the great saphenous vein is a leg vein, not a cardiac vein; anterior cardiac veins exist but drain directly into the right atrium rather than the coronary sinus; and pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, not venous blood from the heart muscle.