RCIS Cardiac Anatomy Study Guide
The cardiac anatomy foundations the RCIS exam builds on — chambers, valves, coronaries, and conduction.
On this page
Coronary arteries
The left main divides into the LAD (anterior wall, septum, apex) and circumflex (lateral wall). The RCA supplies the inferior wall and, in right dominance (~85%), gives the posterior descending artery (PDA).
Conduction system
Impulses travel SA node → AV node → bundle of His → bundle branches → Purkinje fibers. The SA node sits in the upper right atrium near the SVC.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the coronary arteries originate?
From the aortic sinuses (sinuses of Valsalva) just above the aortic valve.
What is coronary dominance?
It is defined by which artery gives rise to the PDA — the RCA in right dominance, the circumflex in left dominance.