Which vessels siphon off a share of oxygenated blood to supply the heart muscle?

Which vessels siphon off a share of oxygenated blood to supply the heart muscle?

• A. Coronary arteries
• B. Aorta
• C. Pulmonary veins
• D. Superior vena cava

Answer: (A)

The vessels that nourish the heart muscle are the coronary arteries. They originate from the base of the aorta and dive into the myocardium, delivering oxygen-rich blood directly where the heart needs it to keep beating. The aorta itself is the main highway distributing blood to the rest of the body; pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, not to the heart muscle specifically, and the superior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium. So the coronary arteries are the ones siphoning off a share of oxygenated blood to supply the heart muscle.