...why is the coronary artery (which brings oxygenated blood to the heart) called an artery?
2007-03-09 11:00:26 · 9 answers · asked by IamBatman 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
I'm talking definitions here...why isn't it called a vein? I was studying and found this, and it made me rather curious...
2007-03-09 11:01:29 · update #1
The coronary artery is bringing blood to the heart muscle, not into the heart chamber.
2007-03-09 11:03:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
As I was reminded by the medical terms site I just visited coronary comes from the Greek word "koron" meaning crown. The arteries (and veins) that encompass the heart look like a crown as this site (3rd one listed) tells us.
As the other answerers tell us, these vessels still are part of the muscularly walled system of vessels in the EFFERENT (meaning to bear out and carry away, gained from medterms.com site) part of the circulatory system.
These highly oxygenated blood-carrying vessels are indeed the arteries that supply oxygen to the heart. The blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart so it can be re-oxygenated are called the coronary veins I believe.
Look at medical terminology sites I listed 3 pages from one of them as example. Also look at that fourth site I gave you.
Have a good day!
2007-03-09 19:25:06 · answer #2 · answered by xzaerynus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The coronary arteries are on the outside of the heart and provide oxygen and nutrition to heart muscle, they do not provide a blood supply for the chambers of the heart internally.
2007-03-12 09:59:47 · answer #3 · answered by xxx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Artery carry highly pressured oxygenated blood . The most important thing is that oxygenated blood are always high in pressure and a blood vessel named 'artery' is specialized to do the task to carry the blood because artery itself comprises of elastic and thick muscle properties to withstand high oxygenated blood pressure. As a conclusion, artery is a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood whether from the heart or to the heart . PEACE ! :-!
2007-03-15 00:48:50 · answer #4 · answered by Apis03 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually a vein is a blood vessel which brings blood to a heart chamber.....
coronary arteries carry blood to heart muscle fibers.......
and the blood again drains to the hear chambers via minute pores in the endo cardium
2007-03-15 21:12:12 · answer #5 · answered by remooooo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it also carries blood from the lumen of the heart through the coronary ostia. The pulmonary artery carries un-oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
2007-03-09 20:39:07 · answer #6 · answered by misoma5 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are unusual arteries. They carry blood back to the heart. Their peak flow occurs when the heart relaxes. With all those confusions, the answer is that they connect to the arterial system, and the walls are those of muscular arteries.
2007-03-09 19:22:29 · answer #7 · answered by novangelis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lets change the definition, arteries carry oxygenated blood! Problem solved!
2007-03-14 17:14:59 · answer #8 · answered by Me! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are more logical than the person who gave it the name. Maybe coronary vein didn't sound as good.
2007-03-09 19:08:33 · answer #9 · answered by Lost Poet 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋