Cardiovascular Flashcards
Write down the equation of systemic vascular resistance (SVR).
SVR = (MAP - CVP)/CO x 80
80 converts the unit from wood unit (mmhg/L/min) to metric (dynes/sec/cm-5)
Write down the equation of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR).
PVR = (MPAP - PAWP)/CO x 80
80 converts the unit from wood unit (mmhg/L/min) to metric (dynes/sec/cm-5)
What is the terminal arterioles called?
Metarterioles
What are the two theories about acute local blood flow control in respond to metabolic need?
1) Vasodilator substance theory
When there is increased tissue metabolism or presence of oxygen deficiency, the tissue will release vasodilator substances (e.g. adenosine***, CO2, hydrogen ion, potassium ion, histamine). This substance will diffuse locally and cause local vasodilation
2) Oxygen demand theory
Smooth muscles need oxygen to contract. When there is increased metabolism and oxygen deficiency, vascular smooth muscle cannot constrict which lead to local vasodilation
*Reactive hyperemia vs Active hyperemia
Within a range of arterial blood pressure, the body is able to maintain local blood flow within a certain range. This is called Autoregulation. What are the two theories about autoregulation?
1) Metabolic theory
- Oxygen and nutrient deficiency → increase vasodilator substances → increase blood flow
- Too much oxygen & nutrient & blood flow → wash out vasodilator substances → vasoconstriction
2) Myogenic theory
- Stretch-induced vascular depolarization → Increase intracellular calcium…etc → vasoconstriction
- Metabolic factors appear to override the myogenic mechanism in circumstances in which the metabolic demands of the tissues are significantly increased
What is NO synthesized from?
L-Arginine
O2 + L-Arginine → NO + L-Citrulline (via NOS)
What is the half-life of NO?
6 seconds
Explain how NO cause vasodilation.
NO activates guanylate cyclase → converts cGTP to cGMP (important second messenger) → cGMP activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase → vasodilation
What stimulates eNOS?
1) Shear stress
2) Vasoactive substances (e.g. acetylcholine, bradykinin, adenosine, substance-P)
- Associated with increased intracellular Ca2+/calmodulin
True or False: Angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor, can stimulate NO production.
True
What is iNOS?
It is inducible nitric oxide synthase. It does not express in resting cells and needs to be induced by cytokines or microbial products.
Does increased potassium level cause vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Vasodilation
Does increased magnesium level cause vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Vasodilaiton
Does increased calcium level cause vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Vasoconstriction
Does increase plasma hydrogen ion concentration cause vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Mild arterial vasodilation
Does increase plasma CO2 concentration cause vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Moderate vasodilation peripherally, marked vasodilation in the brain
Define mean systemic filling pressure.
The pressure in the systemic circulation when there is no flow. It is composed of unstressed volume and stress volume.
What is the formula for venous return?
Venous return = [(Mean systemic filling pressure - right atrial pressure)/Venous resistance]
Describe Frank-Starling curve.
Within certain range, the increased left ventricular end diastolic volume will increase the stroke volume due to the stretch of the myocytes leading to more forceful contraction.
* The foundation concept of fluid responsiveness*
- x axis: left ventricular end diastolic volume (preload)
- y axis: stroke volume (or cardiac output)
What is the formula for shock index?
Shock index = HR/SBP
What is the shock index to differentiate shock and normal dog?
SI ≥ 0.9 → shock
Which electrolyte abnormality is associated with U wave?
Hypokalemia
True or False: Hypokalemia leaves the myocardium refractory to the effects of class I antiarrhythmic agents (e.g. lidocaine)
True
What is normal arterial oxygen content?
20 ml/dL
What is normal cardiac output in dogs and cats?
Dog: 125-200 ml/kg/min
Cat: 120 ml/kg/min
What is normal oxygen extraction ratio?
20-30%
What is normal DO2 and VO2?
DO2: 20-35 ml/kg/min
VO2: 4-11 ml/kg/min
What is the definition of hypotension?
SAP < 90 mmHg or MAP < 60 mmHg
What are the 4 organ systems affected by hypertension?
Renal
Eyes
Cardiovascular
CNS
When you are able to palpate the femoral pulses, what is the estimated SAP?
> 60 mmHg
What is the estimated SAP when you can palpate the dorsal pedal pulses?
> 90 mmHg
What blood pressure is Doppler measured? SAP, MAP or DAP?
SAP
During Doppler blood pressure measurement, if the limb with the cuff is below the RA, does that cause falsely lower or higher BP?
Falsely higher
What is the most reliable reading from standard oscillometry BP measuring?
MAP
What is the difference between High-definition oscillometry and standard oscillometry?
1) HDO can measure more accurately in a wider range
2) HDO can obtain a more accurate reading in the presence of arrhythmias
3) HDO can obtain SAP, MAP and DAP
HDO devices perform realtime analysis of arterial wall oscillations to obtain pressure wave amplitudes →
Fill in the pressure within each camber & vessel.
Describe how to set up a continuous arterial blood pressure monitoring system
1) Place an arterial line
2) Prepare a bag of 1L saline with heparin (1-2U/ml), a transducer, a monitor and non-compliant arterial line monitoring extension tube. Attach them together.
3) Fill the entire arterial monitoring system with heparinized saline.
4) Attach the arterial BP monitoring system to the arterial catheter and the monitor.
5) There should be a 3-way stopcock on the arterial BP monitoring system. Turn it to close the patient end and open the monitor end to the atmosphere. Keep the system at the level of RA and zero the system.
6) After the system is zero. Turn the 2-way stopcock to close the opening to the atmosphere and connect the monitor to the patient. You should be able to obtain the arterial waveform.
7) Perform a fast flush test to determine if it is necessary to adjust the system and optimize its dynamic’s response
What are the 3 important steps for arterial BP transducer setup?
1) Zeroing
2) Calibration
3) Leveling
Is CVP close to right ventricular systolic pressure or right ventricular diastolic pressure?
RV diastolic pressure (= filling pressure of right side of the heart)
What is normal CVP?
0 - 5 cmH2O
What are the 3 main factors that can affect CVP?
1) Venous return
- Circulating blood volume
- Venous wall compliance
2) Right-sided cardiac diseases
3) Intrathoracic/intraperitoneal pressure
When the CVP is low, what are the two main differential?
Vasodilation (venodilation)
Decreased systemic circulating blood volume
When the CVP is normal, beside normovolemia, what are the two other possibilities?
Compensated hypovolemia
Compensated hypervolemia
List 10 differentials for elevated CVP
1) Hypervolemia
2) Systemic hypertension or marked vasoconstriction
3) Occlusion of the catheter
4) Right sided cardiac disease (e.g. tricuspid regurgitation, right sided systolic dysfunction)
5) Pulmonary hypertension
6) Pericardial effusion
7) Pneumothorax
8) Marked ascitis
9) Pleural effusion
10) Mechanical ventilation (PEEP)
11) Intrathoracic mass
When we place an intravscular catheter for pressure measuring, ideally the catheter should not occupy more than ___% of the lumen. What is that number?
10
How many cmH2O equals 1 mmHg?
1.36 cmH2O = 1 mmHg
When the animal is in sternal recumbency, how do you estimate the height of RA during the leveling or CVP transducer?
Draw a vertical line from sternum to the top of spinous process caudal to the scapula. The RA is at about 40% of the height of the line.
Describe how is the arterial waveform generated?
When the pressure waves go through the vessels, the reflection will create multiple oscillating waves with different frequency and amplutide (Fourior series). The arterial waveform is the summation of those oscillating waves
This is arterial blood pressure waveforms. Name 1-6.
1: Systolic upstroke
2: Systolic peak pressure
3: Systolic decline
4: Dicrotic notch (incisura)
5: Diastolic runoff
6: End-diastolic pressure
Explain how Dicrotic notch is created.
The elastic recoil of the arteries with the closed aortic valves cause a slight and transient increase of the arterial blood pressure.
In an arterial BP waveform, which part indicate MAP?
The shaded area beneath the arterial pressure curve
List 5 factors that can affect the patient’s direct arterial BP monitoring reading.
1) System’s dynamic response
2) Presence of air bubbles in the tubing
3) Respiration
4) Arrhythmias
5) Catheter location/placement
What are the two major components when it comes to a ABP monitoring system’s dynamic response.
1) Natural frequency
2) Damping coefficient
- They are determined by the system’s physical properties, specifically mass, elasticity, and friction
What happen when the natural frequency of the ABP monitoring system coincides with the natural ABP’s frequency?
The reading and the waveform will be exaggerated due to summation of the waveforms → higher SAP and lower DAP → overshooting, ringing
When the natural frequency of an ABP monitoring system is not adequate, it’s usually too low or too high?
Too low
- Ideally need to > 12 Hz or as high as possible
What does damping mean in the ABP monitoring?
Loss of the pulse pressure energy when the waves travel from the catheter to the transducer.
List 4 causes of damping in ABP monitoring.
1) Friction resistance along the line
2) Absorption of energy by the tubing and system
3) Air bubbles
4) Line occlusion
Does the higher damping coefficient mean more likely to overdamp or underdamp?
Higher damping coefficient → more significant of the damping → overdamp
What can we see in overdamped and underdamped arterial waveforms?
Overdamped: loss of details (e.g. dicrotic notch), slurred waveform
Underdamped: falsely high SAP and falsely low DAP, extra spikes and details that are non-physiological
What is the natural frequency of this ABP monitoring system?
25/1.7 = 14.7 Hz
- Note the number of blocks between oscillation peaks
Describe how to determine the damping coefficient with this figure.
17/24 = 0.71 (amplitude ratio)
According to the chart, the damping coefficient is 0.11
- Measure the length of two successive oscillations (i.e., from peak to valley, and from that same valley to the next peak).
How many oscillations after the fast flush in the fast flush test will be considered underdamping?
> 2 oscillations
- Normally should be 2 oscillations
Does air bubbles cause underdamp or overdamp?
Very small air bubble may cause underdamp
Large bubble will cause overdamp
As the arterial waveforms move from central to peripheral, does the systolic peak gets higher or lower? What about the end-diastolic pressure?
Initial upstroke becomes steeper
Systolic peak gets higher
End-diastolic pressure gets lower
- The waveform is delayed; the dicrotic notch appears later and appears more slurred
- distal pulse amplification
During mechanical ventilation, does the pulse pressure decrease or increase during inspiration?
Increase
- The opposite during spontaneous ventilation
What are the three hallmarks for arterial waveforms in aortic stenosis?
1) Systolic upstroke becomes less steep
2) Loss of dicrotic notch
3) The systolic peak pressure may decrease in severe case
What are the three hallmarks for arterial waveforms in aortic regurgitation?
1) Very steep systolic upstrokes
2) Increased pulse pressure
3) Decreased end-diastolic pressure
Explain what Corrigan pulse is and list four conditions that we may observe it clinically.
Corrigan’s pulses is the rapid elevated and collapse pulse (increased pulse pressure but very short duration for each pules).
Aortic regurgitation, PDA, severe anemia, hypertension
When the ABP monitoring shows hypotension, list 5 steps you would do to check it.
1) Examine the patient to see if the patient’s clinical signs fit hypotension
2) Check the ABP tubing to see if there is any kink, blood clot or air bubbles
3) Check the pressured fluid bag to make sure the pressure is higher than 250 mmHg
4) Check if the arterial catheter is patent
5) Check if the patient’s position has change and if re-zeroing is needed.
Describe how to set up a CVP monitoring system (with water manometer).
1) Flush the patient’s central venous catheter with heparinized saline to make sure it’s patent
2) Keep the water manometer vertical (can use an IV pole). Collect the three way stopcock with manometer, fluid set and tubing toward the CVC (do not connect yet)
3) Close the manometer end. Fill the entire non-compliant tubing with normal saline. Connect the tubing to CVC.
4) Close the patient end. Fill the water manometer with 10-20 cm of normal saline.
5) Keep the zero marker of the water manometer at the level of right atrium.
5) Close the fluid set end. Allow the water manometer and patient’s end to equilibrate.
how many percentage of systemic blood volume is in the venous system?
65%
What is the formula for transmural pressure?
Transmural pressure = intravascular pressure - extravascular pressure
When using CVP to assess volume responsiveness, what is expected to see in euvolemic patient (i.e. how many cmH2O CVP will increase? how long does it take to return to baseline?)?
CVP usually will increase 2-4 cmH2O and will return to baseline after 15 min
- Hypovolemic patient → CVP rises minimally or rapidly returns to baseline
- CVP takes longer to return to baseline → volume overload, cardiac dysfunction, restrictive pericardial disease
Name which cardiac cycle/phase are those waves and descents represent and what happen to the heart during that cycle/phase.
a wave: end-diastolic; right atrial contraction
c wave: early-systolic; isovolumetric ventricular contraction; tricuspid valves are pushed toward RA
x descent: mid-systolic; right atrial relaxation
v wave: end-systolic; systolic filling of RA (venous return)
y descent: early-diastolic; early ventricular filling
What is the formula to estimate CVP from the waveform?
CVP = (a wave peak + x descent base)/2
What change of CVP waveform can we see in patient with VPCs?
Cannon “a” wave
What change of CVP waveform can we see in patient with atrial fibrillation?
Absence of a wave
What change of CVP waveform can we see in patient with tricuspid regurgitation?
Broad, tall systolic c-v wave, beginning in early systole and obliterating the systolic x descent in atrial pressure.
Name the function of the Swan-Ganz catheter ports from top to bottom.
- Thermistor port
- Measure CVP (blue; proximal)
- Measure pulmonary artery pressure, collect sample for SvO2 (yellow)
- Drug administration port
- Balloon inflation port; measure PAWP (red)
Define preload and afterload.
Preload: a measure of the ventricular myocardium stretch at the end of diastole
Afterload: the force/resistance which the ventricles need to overcome to eject the blood
What is the formula for cardiac index?
Cardiac index (L/min/m2) = cardiac output/body surface area in m2
What is Fick’s principle and what is the formula modified from this principle to measure cardiac output?
Total uptake of the oxygen by the peripheral tissues equal the product of total blood flow through the tissues and the arteriovenous oxygen concentration difference.
- it can also be used for CO2 production
What is the formula when using CO2 rebreathing method to measure cardiac output
When using thermodilution to measure cardiac output, where is the indicator (saline) injected and where is the dilution measured?
Injection: right atrium
Measurement: main pulmonary artery
What is transesophageal echocardiography measured to evaluate the cardiac output?
Cross-section area of left ventricular outflow tract & aortic blood velocity
What is mean pulmonary artery pressure in dogs?
10-20mmHg
What is normal cardiac index in dogs?
3.5 - 5.5 L/min/m2
What is normal stroke volume in dogs?
40-60 ml/beat/kg
What is normal SVR and Pulmonary vascular resistance?
SVR: 0.5-0.8 mmHg/kg/min
PVR: 0.04-0.06 mmHg/kg/min
10x difference!
What is normal pulmonary arterial wedge pressure in dogs?
5-12 mmHg
List 7 potential errors that can cause inaccurate CO measurement when using thermodilution method.
- Arrhythmias
- Respiration (ideally measure at end-expiration)
- Intracardiac shunt
- Thermistor probe problems (malfunction, got blood clote)
- Severe hypotension
- Inadequate indicator injection
- Concurrent large volume fluid/med administration
For the CO measurement using CO2 rebreathing method, what is the name of the monitor? What is the formula used in this monitor to calculate CO?
NICO
- The equation is for partial rebreathing technique
This is the graphs for thermodilution result. Which one indicates low cardiac output, and which one indicates high cardiac output?
b) indicates high cardiac output
c) indicates low cardiac output
List 4 possible complications for thermodilution method.
1) valve damage, endocarditis
2) rupture of RA or PA
3) blood clot formation, air embolism
4) arrhythmias
What technique does PICCO use to measure CO?
Transpulmonary thermodilution
- Inject a cold fluid bolus in jugular vein and measure its changes in femoral artery
- It can also analyze the pulse waveform contour and therefore obtain more information (e.g. preload, afterload…etc)
How does LiDCO measure CO?
Inject a fixed dose of lithium chloride and then has a lithium-selective electrode placed at the peripheral arterial catheter
- It can also analyze the arterial pulse waveform
What are the two CO monitor system that integrate arterial waveform?
PiCCO
LiDCO
True or False: When using Fick’s principle to measure CO, the result won’t be accurate if there is a shunt.
True
Describe how to place a Swan-Ganz catheter.
1) Attach ECG to the patient
2) Clip and aseptically prepare the jugular vein. Fill the introducer with heparinized saline and Insert the introducing catheter.
3) Attach distal catheter port to pressure transducer via a three-way stopcock and flush the system with heparinized saline.
4) Attach continuous flush line to the transducer and pressurize the bag to ≥200 mm Hg.
5) Zero the pressure transducer.
6) Insert the thermodilution catheter through the introducer catheter to about 20 cm and verify that the pressure tracing reflects a central venous pressure waveform.
7) Advance the catheter with the natural curve of the catheter aimed toward the sternum of the animal; watch for a typical ventricular waveform.
8) If the catheter advances to the 50-cm mark without entering the right ventricle, withdraw it to the 20-cm mark and start again.
9) If the pressure tracing becomes damped, flush the distal port with the transducer’s fast flush device; if the pressure tracing abruptly ceases followed by a rapid, linear increase, the end-hole has butted up against a vessel or heart chamber wall and should be withdrawn slightly and then reinserted.
10) Once the catheter tip has entered the right ventricle, inflate the balloon with 1 mL of air and advance it further until the pressure waveform indicates that the catheter tip has entered the pulmonary artery.
11) With the balloon inflated, advance the catheter until the pressure tracing reflects occlusion of a branch of the pulmonary artery; deflate the balloon and verify a good pulmonary artery tracing.
12) Bandage the catheter and introducer set aseptically and occlusively.
What is normal arterial and venous oxygen content in dogs?
Arterial: 17.8 ml/dL
Venous: 14.2 ml/dL
As the Swan-Ganz catheter enters the heart and advances slowly, what are the pressure waveform change do you expect to see? Order them from the beginning to the end.
C → D → A → B
Comparing the PAWP and CVP, the c wave is more difficult to discern in PAWP. List 2 reasons to explain why.
- Damping when the waveform travels from LA to pulmonary artery
- ## There is shorter time between LA contraction and LV contraction compared to RA & RV contraction → a & c waves may superimposed
List 4 ECG abnormalities that can be seen in hypokalemic patient.
1) Atrial/ventricular tachyarrhythmias
2) Prolonged QT interval
3) Decreased T wave amplitude
4) ST segment elevation/depression
What is the ECG abnormalities that can be seen in hypocalcemia?
Prolong QT interval
- If hypercalcemia → shortening of QT interval
When patient experiences hypertension crisis, how fast shouldn’t the BP drop?
No more than 25% in 1 hour
What is the formula for Reynold’s number? What is it used for?
It is used to evaluate the tendency of turbulence to occur
What is the cutoff of Reynold’s number for the turbulence at the branch of vessels?
200-400
What is the cutoff of Reynold’s number for definitive turbulence no matter branch or smooth vessel?
> 2000
What is the formula for Poiseuille’s law?
In the systemic circulation, where do most of the systemic resistance occur?
Small arterioles (2/3 of total resistance)
Between what blood pressure range can the blood vessels maintain relatively constant flow rate via autoregulation?
75 - 175 mmHg
True or False: Pulse pressure = Stroke volume/arterial compliance.
True
Name 3 blood reservoirs.
1) Spleen
2) Liver
3) Large intra-abdominal veins
4) Venous plexus under the skin
True or False: Lymph from the entire body all flows into the thoracic duct, which empties the lymph into the venous system at the junction of left internal jugular vein and left subclavian vein.
False.
The lymph from right side of the neck and head, right arm, and parts of the right thorax flows into the right lymph duct → right subclavian vein and internal jugular vein
Where does vasomotor center locate?
Medulla and lower 1/3 of the pons
True or False: Under normal condition, there is continuous partial constriction of blood vessels caused by sympathetic nerve. This is called vasomotor tone.
True
True or False: The vasomotor center can not only control vascular tone but also the heart rate.
True
From Guyton: “The lateral portions of the vasomotor center tran mit excitatory impulses through the sympathetic nerve fibers to the heart when there is a need to increase heart rate and contractility. Conversely, when there is a need to decrease heart pumping, the medial portion of the vasomotor center sends signals to the adjacent dorsal motor nuclei of the vagus nerves, which then transmit parasympathetic impulses through the vagus nerves to the heart to decrease heart rate and heart contractility.”
True or False: The baroreceptors response is linear to the blood pressure.
False
When BP below 50-60 mmHg, baroreceptors at the carotid sinus do not respond.
When BP below 30 mmHg, baroreceptors at the aortic arch do not respond.
Explain how the circulatory reflex work after it is initiated by the activated baroreceptors.
The baroreceptor signal enters the vasomotor center → the secondary signal inhibits the vasoconstrictor center and stimulates the vagal parasympathetic center → vasodilation, decrease heart rate and contractility
List 3 conditions that will activate the chemoreceptors.
1) Low oxygen
2) High CO2
3) Increased H+ ion
Where do chemoreceptors locate?
2 carotid bodies locate at the carotid bifurcation; 1-3 aortic bodies locates adjacent to the aorta
List 3 mechanisms of how the low pressure baroreceptors (especially atrial receptors) regulate high blood volume.
1) Cause afferent renal vasodilation → increase GFR and fluid filtrated through the glomerulus
2) Decrease ADH release → decrease water reabsorption
3) Release atrial natriuretic peptide → decrease sodium and water reabsorption at the nephrons
Describe Bainbridege reflex.
Increased atrial pressure leads to increased heart rate and contractility.
- The afferent limb of the reflex within this signal, when activated takes sensory information from the vagus nerve to medulla oblongata, and the efferent limb sends out inhibitory signals by reducing vagus nerve tone and increasing the sympathetic outflow.
What is the reflex associated with the respiratory sinus arrhythmia?
Bainbridge reflex vs vagal reflex?
Inspiration → increased HR
Expiration → decreased HR
What happen to heart rate and BP during CNS ischemic response?
Increased sympathetic tone → HR and BP elevate
How will the cardiac output curve and venous return curve change during sympathetic stimulation?
When does the S1 heart sound happen?
When the mitral and tricuspid valves close
Isovolumetric contraction
When does the S2 heart sound happen?
When the aortic and pulmonic valves close
Isovolumetric relaxation
Explain the splitting S2.
S2 heart sound is composed of closing of aortic valve and closing of pulmonic valve. Aortic valve usually close very slightly before pulmonic valve.
During inspiration, the intrathoracic pressure decreased → increased venous return → more blood in the RV → pulmonic valve open for a bit longer because more RV volume → less blood return to LA → slightly decreased LV volume → aortic valve closes earlier due to shortening emptying time
What is S3 heart sound and when does it usually happen?
- It is also called ventricular gallop
- When mitral or tricuspid valves open and the blood is passively filling the ventricular → S3 is the sound when the large volume of blood strikes a very compliant ventricle
- Early diastole
- Often heard in dogs with DVM
What is S4 heart sound and when does it usually happen?
- It is also called atrial gallop
- When atria contracts to force the blood into a very non-compliant ventricle
- End diastole
- Often heard in cats with HCM
What is the resting membrane potential for ventricular myocardium? What about SA nodal cells?
Ventricular myocardium: -85 mV
SA nodal cells: -55 ~ -60 mV
Which one is RBBB and which is LBBB?
A: LBBB
B: RBBB
List 3 differences between myocardium and skeletal muscles.
1) action potential of myocardium is caused by fast sodium channels and L-type calcium channels; AP of skeletal muscles is caused by fast sodium channels only
2) The source of Ca in myocardium is from extracellular space; while in skeletal muscles it’s from endoplasmic reticulum
3) There is no plateau phase in skeletal muscle AP
Name each phase and describe how electrolytes move in each phase.
0: depolarization; fast Na channel open
1: initial repolarization; fast Na channel close, transient outward K channel open
2: plateau; L-type Ca channel open, transient outward K channel close
3: rapid repolarization; L-type Ca channel close; slow K channel open
4: resting membrane potential; slow K channel closes, inward rectifier K channel open
Describe how excitation-contraction coupling happens.
1) Action potential reaches the T tubules system which leads to depolarization
2) The voltage change will be sensed by dihydropyridine (DHP) receptors which link to the ryanodine receptor channels (Ca release channels) on the sarcoplasmic reticulum
3) The Ca release channels open and release many Ca ions and cause contraction
4) Ca ions are re-uptaken by active calcium channels called SERCA (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase). Ca ions are bound with calsequestrin in the sarcoplasmic reticulum
What is the main difference between myocardium and skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling process?
The Ca storage in the myocardium sarcoplasmic reticulum is not as abundant as skeletal muscles. The Ca ion inflow during the plateau phase of AP triggers the Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the Ca from both extracellular fluid and SR cause muscle contraction
- Myocardial contractility is heavily dependent on the extracellular Ca ion concentration
During myocardial excitation-contraction coupling process, what are the two ways to lower Ca concentration in the cells?
1) SERCA2 (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase)
2) Na-Ca exchanger on the sacrolemma