coronary

/'kɔrənəri/
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coronary

A doctor points to a diagram of the coronary arteries on a screen.

Definition
  1. Adjective:

    • Relating to or resembling a crown: Specifically used in anatomy to describe structures that encircle or surround an organ like a crown, most commonly the blood vessels surrounding the heart.
    • Pertaining to the heart's arteries: Denoting the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle itself.
  2. Noun:

    • A heart attack: Informal term for a coronary thrombosis or myocardial infarction, which is the obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery.
Usage and Examples
  • Adjective:

    • The patient underwent surgery for a coronary artery blockage.
    • A healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.
  • Noun (Informal):

    • He was rushed to the hospital after suffering a coronary.
    • The stress of the job nearly gave him a coronary.
Advanced Usage
  • "Coronary circulation": The system of arteries and veins that supply the heart muscle (myocardium) with oxygen-rich blood and remove deoxygenated blood.
  • "Coronary care unit (CCU)": A specialized hospital ward for patients with serious heart conditions, such as heart attacks.
Variants and Related Words
  • Coronary artery (n): Either of the two main arteries (the left and right coronary arteries) that branch from the aorta and supply blood to the heart.
  • Coronary thrombosis (n): The formation of a blood clot (thrombus) inside a coronary artery, leading to a heart attack.
  • Coronary bypass (n): A surgical procedure to create a new route for blood flow to the heart, bypassing a blocked coronary artery.
Synonyms
  • Adjective: Coronary has no direct common synonym in its specific anatomical sense. Related descriptive terms include encircling or crown-like.
  • Noun (informal): Heart attack, myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac arrest (note: cardiac arrest is a different, though related, condition where the heart stops beating).
Related Phrases and Collocations
  • Coronary artery disease (CAD): The most common type of heart disease, caused by the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries.
  • Acute coronary syndrome (ACS): A term for a range of conditions associated with sudden, reduced blood flow to the heart.
  • Coronary angiogram: An X-ray test that uses dye to visualize the coronary arteries.
Notes on Meaning
  • The primary and most frequent use is as an adjective in medical contexts (e.g., ).
  • Its use as a noun to mean "heart attack" is common in informal, everyday language but is technically a shorthand for more specific medical terms like .
coronary

A doctor points to a diagram of the coronary arteries on a screen.

Adjective
  1. surrounding like a crown (especially of the blood vessels surrounding the heart)
    • coronary arteries
Noun
  1. obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery by a blood clot (thrombus)