Cardio Overview Flashcards
What are the 2 main functional systems of the heart?
- Pumping system
2, Electrical conduction system
What is the function of the AV valves? How is it accomplished?
- Prevent backflow of blood from ventricles to atria during systole.
- Chordae tendinae and Papillary muscles
What is the function of the semilunar valves?
Prevent backflow of blood from
aorta and pulmonary arteries into
ventricles during diastole
Which type of valve is subject to more mechanical abrasion?
Semilunar valves are Subjected to much greater
mechanical abrasion than AV valves
What is a difference between AV and semilunar valves?
Semilunar valves exposed to higher pressures, have smaller openings, and have very rapid closure & opening; also they have no chordae tendinae
What is the impulse for valve closure and opening?
Valves close when a backward pressure gradient pushes blood backwards; valves open when a forward pressure gradient pushes blood forward.
Describe the pulmonary circuit
- Carries CO2 rich blood to the gas exchange surfaces of lungs
- Returns O2 rich blood back to the heart
Describe the systemic circuit
- Transports O2 rich blood back to body’s cells
2. Transports CO2 rich blood back to the heart
Define sarcomere
contracting unit of myofibril which contains actin and myosin proteins
What causes the myocardial contraction?
Myocardial contraction is a result of coupling of actin and myosin
Define tropomyosin
Tropomyosin- intertwined with actin and inhibits contraction by hiding the binding receptor sites (Trop I, Trop C, Trop T)
What is a unique feature of skeletal muscle?
- Intercalated discs- strong union
A. Cell membranes of adj. fibers fuse to form Gap junctions*
B. low resistance bridges for spread of AP, causes a syncytium
Define and describe the importance of a synctium
A. Syncytium: A multinucleated mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into individual cells.
B. Cardiac muscle syncytium of many heart muscle cells; when one is excited, they all get excited
What three channels are associated with a cardiac AP?
- Fast Na+ channels
- Slow Ca++ channels
- K+ channels
What two channels are open for an extended period of time? Why?
Na+ and Ca++ channels remain open for longer period of time to increase contractility in cardiac muscle
What is phase 4 of the AP cycle?
Resting membrane potential caused by negative K ions on inside of cell
What is phase 0 (upstroke) of the AP cycle?
rapid depolarization with Na moving to inside membrane
What is phase 1 of the AP cycle?
closing of Na channels; K is now actively transported out (more - )
What is phase 2 of the AP cycle?
plateau phase; slow moving Ca channels open and Ca moves in; K channels still open and moving K out
What is phase 3 of the AP cycle?
repolarization; K moves out; Ca channels close
When does the absolute refractory period correspond to the AP cycle?
Phase 1-2?
What phases are present in the AP at the SA node?
0, 3, 4
Phases 1 and 2 do not occur
What phases are present for the AP at the ventricular myocardium, bundle of His, and Purkinje fibers?
Phase 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
What is the sequence of excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle?
AP penetrates T-tubules AP acts on sarcoplasmic reticulum to release Ca+ Ca+ diffuse into myofibrils promote sliding filament contraction
What controls excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscles?
Function of Ca+ ions and T-tubules
How are t-tubules in cardiac muscle different than skeletal muscle?
- T-tubules much larger in cardiac muscle so more Ca+ released and stored
- Ends of T-tubules open directly to outside cardiac muscle fibers
What is the effect of T-tubules that open directly to the outside of cardiac muscles?
- Contact with extracellular fluid
- Quantity of Ca+ in T-tubules dependent on amount Ca+ in ECF*
- Unlike skeletal muscle, contraction of cardiac m. is dependent on the entry of Ca++ from ECF
Where is Ca+ stored?
*Ca+ for skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction are stored in SR; contraction is not affected by ECF Ca+ levels in skeletal muscle
When is Ca+ involved in the AP cycle?
Phase 2- plateau phase
What does Ca do to cause E-C coupling?
- Inward Ca++ flow causes release of Ca++ from SR (increase intracellular Ca++)
- Ca++ binds to troponin C, tropomysin moves out of its blocking position, allowing actin and myosin to form cross-bridges
What happens when cross bridges are formed?
Actin and myosin filaments slide past each other resulting in cardiac muscle contraction
How does cardiac contraction end?
Contraction ends when Ca++ ATPase helps reuptake of Ca++ into the SR, reducing intracellular Ca++
Define Cardiac absolute refractory period
Interval of time during which normal cardiac impulse cannot re-excite an already excited area of cardiac muscle
Define Cardiac relative refractory period
Interval of time which cardiac myocyte can be excited with greater than nl AP
What does the long refractory period cause in cardiac muscle?
Due to long refractory period, cardiac m. cannot be tetanized like skeletal m. can
Define automaticity
Capable of spontaneous depolarization
“self-excitation”
What cells have automaticity properties?
SA node, AV node, bundle of His, Purkinje fibers
What is the normal pacemaker node of the heart? What is its rate of impulse?
SA node
Generates impulses 60-100 times/min
What is the pathway of conduction from the SA node?
Impulses generated at SA nodeatrial pathwaysAV nodebundle of His (branches)Purkinje sysventricular muscle
What is the function of the Bachmann’s bundle?
Tracts from SA node extending to LA
What is the function of the internodal tracts?
Tracts that transmit impulses through RA
What is the function of the AV node?
- Responsible for delaying impulses that reach it to allow the ventricles to complete their filling as the atria contract
- Allows the cardiac muscle to stretch to its fullest for peak CO