Antiarrhythmic Flashcards
What are factors that can facilitate cardiac arrhythmias?
- Hypoxemia
- Electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities
- Myocardial ischemia
- Altered Sympathetic Nervous System
- Bradycardia
- Administration of Certain Drugs
What are some supraventricular arrhythmias that require treatment?
Irregular beats to slow or to fast
- Bradycardia
- Tachycardia
- Atrial fibrillation
- Atrial flutter (this might need to be a more aggressive treatment if this shows up
What are some ventricular arrhythmias that require treatment?
Ventricular Arrhythmias:
- V-Fib (need to be aggressive with this)
- V-Tach (this needs to be aggressive with treatment)
- PVC’s (this depends on the patient, may not need to treat this)
Normal Conduction Pathway
The SA node generates action potential and delivers it to the Blank and the Blank
SA node generates action potential and delivers it to the atria and the AV node
Normal Conduction Pathway
The AV node delivers the impulse to the BLANK
The AV node delivers the impulse to the purkinji fibers
Normal Conduction Pathway
The purkinje fibers conduct the impulse to the BLANK
Purkinje fibers conduct the impulse to the ventricles
What are two types of cardiac action potential cells?
- Nodal (SA and AV nodes)
2. Cardiac Myocytes
With anti arrhythmic drugs, the CRNA is doing what?
RESETTING THE IONS!!!! This is what happens when we give medications..
RESETTING CONCENTRATION GRADIENTS!!!
Where are the Cardiac Myocyte and how many phases do they have?
In the atria, purkinje, and ventricles the AP curve consists of 5 phases
Where are the Nodal Myocytes and how many phases do they have?
In the SA node and AV node, AP curve consists of 3 phases
In a Nodal Myocyte, what happens during Phase 4?
Phase 4: pacemaker potential
Na influx and K efflux and Ca influx until the cell reaches threshold and then turns into phase 0
In a Nodal Myocyte, what happens during Phase 0?
Phase 0: upstroke:
Due to Ca++ influx
In a Nodal Myocyte, what happens during Phase 3?
Phase 3: repolarization:
Due to K+ efflux
What is the significance of the pacemaker cells having an unstable membrane?
Pacemaker cells (automatic cells) have unstable membrane potential so they can generate AP spontaneously
In a Cardiac Myocyte, what happens during Phase 0?
Phase 0, Depolarization - Voltage-gated sodium channels open allowing the rapid influx of sodium ions
In a Cardiac Myocyte, what happens during Phase 1?
Phase 1, Initial repolarization - Inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels; voltage-gated potassium channels open allowing efflux of potassium ions
In a Cardiac Myocyte, what happens during Phase 2?
Phase 2, Plataeu - Voltage-gated calcium channels open allowing influx of calcium ions this also triggers calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum which leads to increase myocyte contraction
In a Cardiac Myocyte, what happens during Phase 3?
Phase 3 Rapid repolarization - More voltage-gated slow potassium channels open allowing major enfflux of potassium ions; voltage-gated calcium channels close
In a Cardiac Myocyte, what happens during Phase 4?
Phase 4 Resting potential - Cell is resting, or waiting for next action potential; a few potassium channels remain open, allowing for slow potassium permeability.
What is the Effective refractory period? or absolute refractory period?
- -In this period the cell can’t be excited
- –Takes place between phase 0 and 3
- -During a cardiac cycle, once an action potential is initiated, there is a period of time that a new action potential cannot be initiated. This is ERP
What is considered a supraventricular arrhythmia?
If the arrhythmia arises from atria, SA node, or AV node it is called supraventricular arrhythmia
What is considered a ventricular arrhythmia?
If the arrhythmia arises from the ventricles it is called ventricular arrhythmia
Mechanisms of Arrhythmogenesis
If an abnormal impulse is generated from a Myocyte, what are two possibilities can occur?
You can have a Delayed after depolarization, digoxin induced ventricular ectopy
or a Early after depolariztion, torsades, R on T
Mechanisms of Arrhythmogenesis
If an abnormal impulse is generated from a Nodal cell, what two possibilities can occur?
An enhanced normal automaticity, which is two fast, that leads to increase AP from the SA node, this will increase the slope of Phase 4
or
Ectopic focus, such as junctional rhythms which the AP arises from sites other than the SA node
In the case of an abnormal generation of an impulse in a nodal myocyte, what two changes can occur in the AP?
Decrease of phase 4 slope (in pacemaker cells)
or
Raises the threshold
In the case of an abnormal generation of an impulse in a nodal and cardiac myocyte, what two changes can occur in the AP?
decrease in conduction velocity (remember phase 0)
or
Increase in ERP (so the cell wont be reexcited again)
What are some Supraventricular Arrhythmias?
skipped this on lecture
Sinus Tachycardia: high sinus rate of 100-180 beats/min, occurs during exercise or other conditions that lead to increased SA nodal firing rate
Atrial Tachycardia: a series of 3 or more consecutive atrial premature beats occurring at a frequency >100/min
Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia (PAT): tachycardia which begins and ends in acute manner
Atrial Flutter: sinus rate of 250-350 beats/min.
Atrial Fibrillation: uncoordinated atrial depolarizations.
What is an AV block?
skipped this in lecture
A conduction block within the AV node , occasionally in the bundle of His, that impairs impulse conduction from the atria to the ventricles.
What are some Ventricular Arrhythmias?
skipped this in lecture
Ventricular Premature Beats (VPBs): caused by ectopic ventricular foci; characterized by widened QRS.
Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): high ventricular rate caused by abnormal ventricular automaticity or by intraventricular reentry; can be sustained or non-sustained (paroxysmal); characterized by widened QRS; rates of 100 to 200 beats/min; life-threatening.
Ventricular Flutter - ventricular depolarizations >200/min.
Ventricular Fibrillation - uncoordinated ventricular depolarizations