Cardiac Electrophysiology II Flashcards

1
Q

What are the phases of SA node action potentials?

A

Phase 0: Rapid depolarization
Phase 3: Slower repolarization
Phase 4: Slow, ramping depolarization

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2
Q

What causes Phase 0 - rapid depolarization in the SA node?

A

Inward ca2+ current

-L - type channels

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3
Q

What causes phase 3 in the SA node?

A
  • inactivation of L-type channels

- Delayed outward rectifier -iK

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4
Q

What interaction between three currents causes pacemaker activity?

A

-interaction btwn T-type ca2+ channels, iK and If

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5
Q

What is If? (funny current)

A
  • net inward current
  • activates in response to hyperpolarization
  • has both inward Na, and outward K+ components
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6
Q

What causes Phase 4 of the SA node?

A
  • slow, ramping depolarization

- activation of If

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7
Q

What is the exchange rate of the Na+/ca2+ exchanger?

A

3Na+ / 1 ca2+

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8
Q

How does the Na+/ca2+ exchanger contribute to the current of the heart?

A
  • At rest- Na+ in / Ca2+ out
    • need to get rid of ca2+ from E-c coupling
      - net inward current
  • After depolarization Na+ out/ Ca2+ in
    • Net Outward current
    • contributes to Phase 1 - early repolarization
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9
Q

Describe the L-type calcium channel:
Threshold
Inactivation
Size of AP

A

Threshold: low
inactivation: slow (L = long lasting)
Size of AP: L = large

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10
Q

Describe the T-type calcium channel:
Threshold
Inactivation
Size of AP

A

Threshold: high
inactivation: fast (T=transient)
Size of AP: T = tiny

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11
Q

What are the three mechanisms that can slow the SA node pacemaker?

A
  1. Decreased rate of diastolic depolarization
  2. Diastolic hyperpolarization
  3. Increased threshold

???? does anyone have notes for this?

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12
Q

What mechanism does the vagus nerve use to slow the heart rate?

A
  1. Release of ACh at SA node
  2. binding of ACh to M2 receptors
  3. activation of Gi
  4. Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase
  5. Decreased cAMP
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13
Q

What mechanism do sympathetic motor neurons use to increase heart rate?

A
  1. Release of norepinephrine
  2. norepinephrine binds to B1 receptors
    (metabotropic)
  3. Actviation of Gs
  4. activation of adenylyl cyclase
  5. Increased cAMP
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14
Q

How does sympathetic stimulation affect the cardiac currents?

A
  • Increases Phase 4 steepness:
    1. Increasing inward If
    2. Increasing inward I caT

-Also decreases the threshold of I caL

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15
Q

What specifically is unaffected by sympathetic stimulation of the heart?

A

-Maximum diastolic potential (lowest potential)

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16
Q

How does parasympathetic stimulation affect the cardiac currents?

A

Reduces phase 4 steepness by:

  1. dec inward I f
  2. Dec inward I ca T
  3. inc outward I k Ach
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17
Q

What is atropine’s effect on the heart?

A
  • Blocks parasympathetic stimulation(M2 receptors)

- Doubles resting heart rate (120)

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18
Q

What is propanolol’s effect on the heart?

A

-Blocks sympathetic stimulation (B1 receptors)
-reduces resting heart rate, but not by much
(50)

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19
Q

What is the effect of combined atropine and propanolol on the heart?

A
  • Increased heart rate

- shows us that parasympathetic effects on the heart are of much greater proportion

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20
Q

What is the basal heart rate of a healthy individual?

A

60 beats/min

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21
Q

What is the effect of inhibiting acetylcholinesterase on the heart?

A

-Bradycardia - dec HR

Ex: Sarin
- can cause asphyxation, muscle spasms, death

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22
Q

What is the effect of some antidepressants on the heart?

A
  • They block uptake of NE

- Tachycardia - increased heart rate

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23
Q

What phases are the atrial muscle action potential composed of?

A

Phases 0, 1, 2, 3 , 4

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24
Q

What is phase 0 of atrial muscle action potential, and what contributes to this phase?

A
  • Rapid depolarization - overshoots to 0mV

- due mostly to I Na

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25
Q

What is phase 1 of atrial muscle action potential, and what contributes to this phase?

A

-small, limited repolarization

  • activation of I TO (K+ outward)
  • Decreased I Ca and I Na
26
Q

What is phase 2 of atrial muscle action potential, and what contributes to this phase?

A
  • Short plateau ~200 ms
  • Prolonged I ca plus a I kur (ultrarapid K+ out)

BALANCE of the two currents

27
Q

What is phase 3 of atrial muscle action potential, and what contributes to this phase?

A

-Repolarization

  • Inactivation of Ica
  • Increased ik
28
Q

What is phase 4 of atrial muscle action potential, and what contributes to this phase?

A
  • Resting value of Vm due to inc iK1
    (inward rectifying K+ channel)

-no depolarizing ramp

29
Q

Does the atria have an intrinsic pacemaker?

A

NO - there is no If

30
Q

What are the consequences of the plateau phase - phase 2?

A

ca2+ entry — contraction

refractory period promotes filling

31
Q

Does the SA node have intrinisc pacemaker activity?

A

YES

32
Q

What is the intrinsic rate of action potential firing in the AV node?

A

~40 /min

notes also have 40-55/min

33
Q

What is the action potential of the AV node most similar to?

A

SA Node

34
Q

How long is the delay stage between atria and ventricles? What is the reason for this?

A

~90 ms

  • This is due to slow conduction of the AV node
  • High internal resistance
    • Small diameter of AV nodal cells
    • No gap junctions
35
Q

What is responsible for the upstroke in the AV node?

A

Calcium

36
Q

Is the AV action potential large of small?

A

Small - only reaches ~0mV

37
Q

How does the upstroke caused by calcium differ from upstrokes caused by sodium?

A

Calcium upstrokes are much slower and lower

38
Q

How does parasympathetic inhibition affect the AV node?

A
  • Decreases firing rate

- Decreased conduction velocity

39
Q

How does sympathetic stimulation affect the AV node?

A
  • Increased firing rate

- Increased conduction velocity

40
Q

Where is the highest conduction velocity in the heart?

A

-Purkinje Fibers

~4 m/s

41
Q

Do purkinje fibers have a pacemaker current?

A

YES

42
Q

What is the intrinsic firing rate of the purkinje fibers?

A

~20/min

notes say 25-40, guyton hall says 15-40

43
Q

How is coordinated contraction achieved?

3

A
  1. Wave of electrical excitation
  2. contraction coupled to electrical excitation
  3. The heart consists of two electrical syncytia
44
Q

What are gap junctions?

A

intracellular channels that permit the passage of ions

  • consist of 4 or 6 copies of connexins
  • provide the basis for electrical coupling
45
Q

What is the threshold for the initiation of a propagated cardiac AP?

A

-75 mV

46
Q

Why don’t depolarizations below threshold stimulate action potentials?

A

The inactivation gates of Na+ channels are closed

47
Q

Do ventricular muscle cells have intrinsic pacemaker activity?

A

NO

48
Q

How would you describe the activation of ventricles?

A

Orderly and spatiotemporal

- allows a very efficient ejection of blood

49
Q

What is the order in which ventricular muscle cells are activated?

A
  1. Ventricular apex (bottom)
    -Endocardium to epicardium (in to out)
  2. Rapid conduction via Purkinje Fibers
  3. Ventricular base (top)
    Endocardium to epicardium
50
Q

Which cells of the ventricle have the slowest action potential?

A
  • M cells (midmyocardial cells)
51
Q

What are the three layers of the ventricles?

A

Epicardium
myocardium
endocardium

52
Q

What are the 5 steps of electrical activation of the heart?

A
  1. Depolarize the Atria
  2. Depolarize septum from left to right
  3. Depolarize anteroseptal region of the myocardium towards the apex
  4. depolarize bulk of ventricular myocardium, from endocardium to pericardium
  5. depolarize posterior portion of base of the LV
53
Q

What two regions of the heart do not have pacemaker abilities?

A

Atrial and ventricular myocardium

54
Q

Which cells of the heart have the fasted intrinsic pacemaker rate?

A

SA nodes

55
Q

Name in order the 7 structures that electrical activation of the heart occurs in?

A
  1. SA node
  2. Atrial myocardium
  3. AV node
  4. AV bundle
  5. Bundle branches
  6. Purkinje network
  7. Ventricular myocardium
56
Q

What is the rate of action potential firing in the SA node?

A

60-100/min (This means normal basal HR is 60)

57
Q

What is the intrinsic rate of action potential firing for the AV bundle and the bundle branches?

A

25-40 /min

58
Q

What is the threshold of the SA node?

A

-40 mV

due to ramping depolarization - leaking in of Na+

59
Q

List in order from highest rate of action potential firing to slowest:
purkinje, SA node, AV node, AV bundle and branches

A
  1. SA node
  2. AV node
  3. Purkinje Fibers, AV bundle and branches
60
Q

What is the Normal resting potential at the SA node?

A

-55 mV

61
Q

Timing of the action potential:

  1. How long from SA->AV node?
  2. Delay in AV node?
  3. Sum of these two values for time to AV bundle?
  4. AV bundle –> Ventricles?
  5. Total time = ?
A
  1. SA–>AV = 0.03 sec
  2. Delay in AV = .09 sec
  3. sum total for time to AV bundle = 0.12 sec
  4. AV Bundle –> Ventricles = .06 sec
  5. Total time = 0.22 sec