The posterior interventricular artery (PIV) (or posterior descending artery(PDA)) is an artery running in the posterior interventricular sulcus to the apex of the heart where it meets with the anterior interventricular artery.
It is typically a branch of the right coronary artery (80%, known as right dominance). Alternately, the PIV can be a branch of the circumflex coronary artery (20%, known as left dominance) which itself is a branch of the left coronary artery.
Variants have been reported.[2]
Human heart with coronary arteries
Right coronary: SA nodal · AV nodal · Atrial · Right marginal · Posterior interventricular
External carotid · Internal carotid
Internal thoracic: Anterior intercostal · Thymic · Pericardiacophrenic · terminal (Musculophrenic, superior epigastric)