Left anterior descending artery
Artery of the heart
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Key Takeaways
- The left anterior descending artery ( LAD , or anterior descending branch ), also called anterior interventricular artery ( IVA , or anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery ) is a branch of the left coronary artery.
- It provides about half of the arterial supply to the left ventricle and is thus considered the most important vessel supplying the left ventricle.
- Structure Course It first passes at posterior to the pulmonary artery, then passes anteriorward between that pulmonary artery and the left atrium to reach the anterior interventricular sulcus, along which it descends to the notch of cardiac apex.
- Although rare, multiple anomalous courses of the LAD have been described.
- Branches The LAD gives off two types of branches: septals and diagonals .
The left anterior descending artery (LAD, or anterior descending branch), also called anterior interventricular artery (IVA, or anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery) is a branch of the left coronary artery. It supplies the anterior portion of the left ventricle. It provides about half of the arterial supply to the left ventricle and is thus considered the most important vessel supplying the left ventricle. Blockage of this artery is often called the widow-maker infarction due to a high risk of death.
Structure
Course
It first passes at posterior to the pulmonary artery, then passes anteriorward between that pulmonary artery and the left atrium to reach the anterior interventricular sulcus, along which it descends to the notch of cardiac apex. In 78% of cases, it reaches the apex of the heart.
Although rare, multiple anomalous courses of the LAD have been described. These include the origin of the artery from the right aortic sinus.
Branches
The LAD gives off two types of branches: septals and diagonals.
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