The right
coronary artery or RCA travels
originates above the right portion of the aortic valve
and runs in the groove that separates the right atrium
from the right ventricle, as it moves towards the
bottom or inferior portion of the heart.
The acute marginal coronary
artery is given off in the proximal or early course
of the artery. While the terminal or distal portion
of the RCA gives off the posterior descending artery
or PDA. The PDA runs in the bottom of the heart in
a groove that separates the left and right ventricles,
as it supplies branches to the lower portion of the
septum (partition between the two ventricles. In 15%
of cases, RCA is "non-dominant" and the
Circ supplies the PDA branch.
The RCA also supplies the
postero-lateral artery or PLA to the lower back portion
of the left ventricle and the right ventricular branch
to the right ventricle.