2- EKG and Excitation Flashcards
What is the resting membrane potential of SA node cells?
Why?
-55
cell membranes of the sinus fibers are naturally leaky to sodium and calcium
What causes self-excitation in SA node cells?
Leakiness to sodium and calcium lowers resting and threshold potentials
If SA cells leak Na and Ca, why are they not constantly depolarized?
- Ca channel inactivation
- increased number of potassium channels means a large number of K ions leave the membrane and it becomes hyperpolarized for a period of time, protecting it from repolarizing
What is the threshold potential of an SA cell?
-40
How does an impulse from the SA node travel to the AV node?
Three atrial fibers:
Anterior (bachman’s - L atria)
Lateral
Posterior
Join together at the AV node
Where is the AV node located?
Posterior RA wall
Behind the tricuspid
Stokes-Adams Syndrome
When the AV node becomes suddenly blocked, it can take 5-20 seconds for the purkinje fibers to initiate their own intrinsic rate, because at baseline they are oversaturated. This is why people generally faint.
Vagal stimulation in the heart results in release of what neurotransmiter?
Acetylcholine
What effect does acetylcholine have on cardiac muscle cell membrane?
Opens potassium channels, creating hyperpolarization and decreasing excitability
Sympathetic stimulation in the heart results in release of what neurotransmitter?
Norepinephrine
Does sympathetic stimulation alter the conduction of the SA node or the AV node?
both
What are adrenergic receptors?
nerve receptors that are stimulated by either norepinephrine or acetylcholine
What is an adrenergic agonist?
A drug that stimulates a response from an adrenergic receptor
When norepinephrine stimulates Beta 1 receptors, what happens?
Why?
Sympathetic activation
Increased heart rate, conduction, contractility
increases permeability to sodium and potassium channels (hypopolarizes)
On an ECG print out, the darker squares represent ____ seconds.
The smaller subsquares represent _____ seconds
- 2
- 04