Skip to content
knowrare
HealthSignal
Your condition community

Living with Coronary artery fistula

A heart condition in which a coronary artery connects directly to a heart chamber or large vessel.

Understanding Coronary artery fistula

Coronary artery fistula is a heart condition in which one or more coronary arteries connect abnormally to a heart chamber or a large blood vessel.

Coronary arteries are the vessels that feed the heart muscle. This condition can be found at any time in life.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Heart murmur
  • Shortness of breath with exertion
  • Fast heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Enlarged heart (cardiomegaly)
  • Heart failure
  • Abnormal left ventricle function

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include heart and blood vessel specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

Care & treatment

Care team
Heart and blood vessel specialists (cardiologists)
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
How large is the connection, and is it affecting my heart?
Do I need treatment, or can it be monitored?
What follow-up heart tests will I need?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startany time in life

GARD doesn't describe a cause for this condition yet.

Also known as: coronaro-cardiac fistula; coronary arterial fistula; coronary arterial fistulas; coronary arterial malformations; coronary fistula

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Coronary artery fistulaGARD ID 1533 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Coronary artery fistula.

Explore the Coronary artery fistula blog

Explore research for Coronary artery fistula

Explore actively recruiting Coronary artery fistula studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Coronary artery fistula with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper

I can help you find recruiting Coronary artery fistula studies. Enter a ZIP code, address or city below and I'll look within 50 miles.

Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

Get Signals for Coronary artery fistula

Stay in the loop with community stories and updates from medical researchers.

HealthStoryfor Coronary artery fistula

Create a living journal that talks back

HealthStory evolves private journaling with a living AI journal that talks back and asks thoughtful questions, helping you capture your Coronary artery fistula experiences more deeply and prepare for better conversations with your doctors and care team.

Start your journal

Your journal is private. Sharing your story publicly is a separate choice, made with Share your story above.