Clinical Significance of Coronary Arterial Dominance: A Review of the Literature

Coronary dominance describes the anatomic variation of coronary arterial supply, notably as it relates to perfusion of the inferior cardiac territories. Differences in the development and outcome in select disease states between coronary dominance patterns are increasingly recognized. In particular, observational studies have identified higher prevalence of poor outcomes in left coronary dominance in the setting of ischemic, conduction, and valvular disease. In this qualitative literature review, we summarize anatomic, physiologic, and clinical implications of differences in coronary dominance to highlight current understanding and gaps in the literature that should warrant further studies.