coronary steal


cor·o·nar·y steal

a steal caused by anomalous origin of the coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

coronary steal

Cardiology A condition characterized by shunting of all relatively well oxygenated blood from a critical area of low perfusion, to an area of higher perfusion; it is unique as it may be iatrogenic and occur in pharmacologic stress imaging–see there, using dipyridamole to induce vasoconstriction; this causes a fall in blood flow to the subendocardium distal to the site of the stenosed coronary artery. See Steal. Cf Subclavian steal.