CVS Practice Test 2025 – The All-In-One Guide to Exam Success!

The correct answer highlights the role of the epicardial coronary veins in draining blood from the myocardium, which is essential for the heart’s function and overall cardiovascular health. The epicardial coronary veins run alongside the coronary arteries and collect deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle after it has been used for metabolic processes.

These veins channel this blood primarily into the coronary sinus, which then returns the deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart. This drainage pathway is crucial because it ensures that the heart receives a consistent and efficient return of blood, allowing for optimal oxygen delivery and waste removal.

In contrast, subclavian veins are responsible for draining blood from the upper limbs and do not play a direct role in draining the myocardium. Similarly, the innominate veins (also known as brachiocephalic veins) are involved in returning blood from the head and arms to the heart but are not involved in draining the myocardium. The superior and inferior vena cavae also serve significant purposes in returning blood to the heart, but they collect blood from the systemic circulation rather than directly from the myocardium.

Thus, the epicardial coronary veins are uniquely adapted to drain the majority of blood from the myocardium, making them the