Arrhythmia Electrophysiology Flashcards
The p-wave on EKGs represents what?
atrial depolarization
what is occuring during the PR interval?
AP through atria & AV node
what does the QRS complex represent?
ventricular depolarization
what is happening during the t-wave?
ventricular repolarization
The QT interval represents what?
duration of repolarization phase
Describe the 5 phases of ventricular AP?
0: Na channels open & major ion influx being sodium; 1: Na channels close; 2: Ca channels open slowly hence the plateau effect & major ion influx is calcium; 3: K channels open as Ca channels close; 4: K remain major ion influx as Na/K and Na/Ca antiport pumps attempt to reestablish the resting membrane potential
Compare & contrast the differences b/t supraventricular & ventricular arrhythmias.
SVT: originates at or above the His bundle; normal or narrow QRS & normal ventricular contraction; VT: originates below the His bundle; abnormal ventricular activation w/ wide QRS
what are the 2 categories for arrhythmia mechanisms?
Abnormal Impulse Initiation; Abnormal Impulse conduction
What are the 2 subtypes of abnormal impulse initiation?
abnormal automaticity; Triggered Activity
What are the 2 subtypes of abnormal impulse conduction?
conduction block; reentry
What are examples of altered normal automaticity?
Sinus tachycardia; sinus bradycardia; inappropriate sinus tachycardia
What are common causes of abnormal automaticity?
hypoxia, ischemia, inflammation: all of these conditions will increase the membrane potential and inactivate Na+ channels; inactivation of Na channels can transform cells that are normally fast response to slow response mediated by L-type Ca channels; this increases the cells’ ability to initiate their own action potentials independently of the SA node
Triggered activity arrhythmias are typically caused by what homoeostatic disturbances?
electrolyte imbalances
In cases where a pathological AP is triggered by a previous normal AP, what are the 2 most common changes seen on the potential curve?
Early afterdepolarization (EAD); Delayed afterdepolarization (DAD)
What is the electro pathophysiology of EAD?
premature re-opening of L-type calcium channels leading to a prolonged AP duration
what is the electro pathophysiology of DAD?
Ca2+ overload due to increased Na/Ca exchanger current
What is the qualitative definition of Reentry?
when the same electric impulse re-excites the heart again
What is assoc. w/ EAD?
prolonged AP duration, prolonged QT intervals & bradycardia; hypokalemia
conduction blocks cause what type of arrhythmias?
bradyarrhythmias
what 3 things must happen for a reentry to occur?
There needs to be some kind of unidirectional block; conduction also needs to be slowed; And recovery of previously excited proximal tissue
Would decreasing the conduction wavelength increase or decrease the risk of reentry?
It would increase risk of a reentry
What are different types of macro-re-entry?
AVRT; atrial flutter; ventricular tachycardia
what are different types of micro-re-entry?
AVNRT; atrial fibrillation & tachycardia; ventricular fib & tachy
there is always going to be an inverse relationship b/t ERP & AP duration; how does this apply to the concept of normal electophysiology?
Slow response cells such as the SA & AV nodes will have a high ERP and shorter AP duration; this makes it easier to initiate an AP but at the expense of longer recovery time to give the fast response cells time to recover before firing the next AP
what is the difference b/t mirco & macro reentry?
Micro: only invovles AV node; Macro: involves AV node + 1 accessory pathway
What is the direction of an anterograde current?
Atria to Ventricles or Base to apex; retrograde would be the reverse of this
Describe the electro pathophysiology of Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome (WPW)
WPW is an example of AVRT: this type of reentry is caused by a an additional accessory pathway in the atrium that can bypasses the conduction velocity through the AV node; in other words, SA propagation is being split b/t the AV node & the accessory pathway; The CV of the accessory pathway in this case surpasses the CV of the AV node; hence the accessory pathway will excite the ventricular myocytes before the AV node does; this creates a reentry circuit where the accessory propagation also initiates the AV node
Describe the electro pathophysiology of AVNRT?
no accessory pathway involved but rather the AV node itself is directly involved; This happens when the currents that split from the AV node do not have the same AP duration & ERP; the current w/ the shorter ERP will propagate to the ventricles first; when the current of the slow ERP finally catches up, the faster current will already be in its RP and the current terminates; both pathways will go through their ERP and be ready for another AP propagation coming from the AV node
What if in addition to an AVNRT, there is also a premature beat? How will this change the electro pathophysiology?
Let’s use an example; lets say we have a pre-mature AP propagation while the fast track is still recovering but the slow tract is ready to be fired again. In this scenario the impulse is going to travel down the slow tract; by the time the fast track recovers it catches up with the impulse going down the slow tract; rather than termination of the impulse happening, in this case the impulse from the slow tract activates the fast track and goes back up to the atrium where it will activate the slow tract;
Atrial flutters & fibrillations are always going to be associated w/ which type of arrhythmia?
reentry supraventricular tachyarrhythmias
Arrhythmias with Narrow the QRS complex are always going to be what type?
supraventricular: originates at or above the AV node
Fibrillations & flutters are always going to have what EKG finding in common?
irregular rhythm