What are collateral coronary arteries?
The coronary arteries also include the collateral coronary arteries, small blood vessels that connect the normal coronary arteries with one another. When the heart is healthy, these vessels play only a minor role. When a coronary artery becomes obstructed, however, collateral coronary arteries help increase the flow of blood to the area of the heart that is being deprived of blood flow. These vessels, although small, may actually succeed in providing sufficient blood to help prevent major damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack. Why are my coronary arteries so important? When the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood through the coronary arteries, the affected heart muscle can weaken or die. This is what happens during a heart attack. The damaged heart muscle cannot pump effectively, leading to heart failure.
