Block 2 Flashcards
What is the SA node responsible for?
Action potentials of the heart
Where is the action potential conducted to?
Myocardiocytes through intercallated discs
Outline the mechanism of contraction? (9)
- Action potential activates calcium channels in the T-tubules
- This results in an influx of Ca2+ into the cell
- Ca2+ binds to troponin which moves the troponin complex away from the actin binding site
- Myosin head bins to the actin binding site forming cross bridges
- myosin head pulls the actin filament towards the centre of the sarcomere contracting the muscle
- myosin head binds with ATP when the cross bridges detach
- ATP is hydrolysed and the myosin head uses this to form another cross bridge
- sarcoplasmic reticulum removes Ca2+
- this returns the troponin complex to its inhibiting position on the actin binding site
Describe the electrical pathway of the heart (5)
- electrical impulses begin at the SAN
- signals generated at the SAN spread across the atria causing the muscles to contract (only atria)
- the signal stimulates the AVN and is delayed
- the impulse then passes down the purkinje fibres which are spread throughout the ventricles
- the impulses cause the ventricles to contract from the base up
What happens at atrial systole? (4)
- atria contract and ventricles relax
- tricuspid and mitral valves open
- blood flows from the atria to the ventricles
- lasts about 0.1 seconds
How to calculate blood pressure?
systolic/diastolic
Systolic
contraction of the heart
Diastolic
relaxation of the heart
What happens at ventricular systole? (4)
- ventricles contract and atria relax
- tricuspid and mitral valves close
- aortic and pulmonary valves open
- blood leaves the heart through the pulmonary artery and aorta
What happens during diastole? (4)
- atria and ventricles are relaxed
- aortic and pulmonary valves close
- rebound of blood off closed aortic valves causes dicrotic wave on the aortic pressure curve
- coronary arteries fill
What is isovolumetric relaxation?
the brief interval where all the valves are closed
What is the first heart sound?
- ‘lub’ sound
- closure of mitral and tricuspid valves
What is the second heart sound?
- ‘dub’ sound
- closure of aortic and pulmonary valves
What valves make up the semilunar valves? (2)
- aortic valve
- pulmonary valve
What valves make up the atrioventricular valves? (2)
- mitral valve
- tricuspid valve
Define cardiac output
Volume of blood ejected from the ventricles into the aorta/pulmonary trunk each minute
Define stroke volume
Volume of blood ejected by the ventricle after each contraction
Calculation for cardiac output
Stroke volume x heart rate
What are the 3 factors regulating stroke volume?
- preload - the degree of stretch before contraction
- contractility - the forcefulness of the contractions
- afterload - the pressure that must be exceeded for the ventricles to eject blood
What is the Frank-Starling law?
the more the heart fills with blood, the greater the force of contraction
What are the two main factors that determine end diastolic volume?
- the duration of ventricular diastole
- venous return
What is end diastolic volume?
the volume of blood in the right or left ventricle at the end of filling in diastole
What are positive inotropic agents?
Substances that increase contractility by promoting Ca2+ inflow during action potentials
What effect do parasympathetic fibres have on heart rate?
Decreases
How do parasympathetic fibres decrease HR? (4)
- they reach the heart as branches from the right and left vagus nerves
- they use Ach
- they reduce force of contractions
- they constrict coronary arteries
What effect do sympathetic fibres have on heart rate?
increases
How do sympathetic fibres increase HR? (4)
- they reach the heart through cardiac fibres from the sympathetic trunk
- they use noradrenaline
- they increase force of contractions
- they cause vasoconstriction
What do increased levels of K+ and Na+ do to HR?
decrease heart rate and contractility
What does K+ do?
Block generation of action potentials
What does Na+ do?
Block Ca2+ inflow
What does the P wave represent?
atrial depolarisation
What does the PR interval represent?
time taken for the electrical impulses to travel from the SAN to the AVN
What does the PR segment represent?
conduction from AVN, down to the bundle of His and up the Purkinjee fibres
What does the Q wave represent?
initial ventricular depolarisation
- the impulse spreads from the Bundle of His
What does the QRS complex represent?
Ventricular depolarisation
What does the ST segment represent?
Time when the ventricles are depolarised during the plateau phase of action potential
What does the T wave represent?
repolarisation
What does the QT segment represent?
ventricular depolarisation to repolarisation
What does the U wave represent?
a small deflection following the T wave that shows repolarisation of papillary muscles or purkinje fibres
How many leads is an ECG measured using?
- 3 or 12
- only 10 electrodes
Physical factors that influence arterial pressure (4)
- blood flow
- resistance - higher the resistance, higher the pressure
- volume of blood - the more blood present, the higher the rate of venous return = cardiac output increases
- viscosity of blood - thicker the blood the higher the pressure
How to calculate blood pressure?
cardiac output x resistance
what are the three main types of sensory receptors in blood vessels?
- proprioceptors
- baroreceptors - aorta, internal carotid, large arteries in neck + chest
- chemoreceptors - carotid, aortic bodies
What happens at the carotid sinus reflex? (2)
- blood pressure stretches the wall of the carotid sinus and stimulates baroreceptors
- nerve impulses travel via the glossopharyngeal nerve to the brainstem from baroreceptor
What happens at the aortic reflex? (2)
- blood pressure stretches the wall of the aorta and stimulates baroreceptors
- nerve impulses travel via the vagus nerve
What happens to baroreceptors when blood pressure falls? (7)
- receptors less stretched
- slower rate of nerve impulses
- decrease in parasympathetic
- increase in sympathetic
- more adrenaline and noradrenaline
- cardiac output and resistance increases
- blood pressure increases
Where is the carotid body located?
bifurcation of the carotid artery
Where is the aortic body located?
aortic arch
What do chemoreceptors detect?
changes in blood levels of O2, CO2 and H+
What stimulates chemoreceptors? (3)
- hypoxia (<60)
- acidosis
- hypercapnia