Final answer:
Coronary veins typically empty their blood into the coronary sinus, which then drains directly into the right atrium of the heart.
Step-by-step explanation:
Generally, coronary veins empty into a vessel known as the coronary sinus. This large, thin-walled vein is located on the posterior surface of the heart within the atrioventricular sulcus, and it directly drains the myocardium—the muscular tissue of the heart—into the right atrium. In contrast to the coronary sinus, the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava are two major systemic veins that drain blood from regions above and below the diaphragm, respectively, into the right atrium. The coronary sinus receives blood from most of the coronary veins, such as the great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, and small cardiac vein. Notably, the anterior cardiac veins, which drain the anterior surface of the right ventricle, directly empty into the right atrium, bypassing the coronary sinus.