Cardiovascular Physiology W7 Flashcards
What the difference between a nerve AP and a cardiac AP?
Cardiac AP: long depolarisation! Due to Ca2+ keeping cell depolarised = long absolute refractory period (cant tell to contract when already contracted)
Nerve AP: Tetnus can happen with AP summation.
Difference: Neuron AP + Ca2+
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels. Transports blood around the body. It is a two circuit system…
- Pulmonary circut - recieving blood from body and pumping to lungs for oxygenation
- Systemic circut - pumping oxygenated blood (from the lungs) around the body. O2 focused.
Cardiac muslce has a unique structure, what is the formation of muscle?
Two bands at the atria, figure 8 surrounding ventricles
Cardiac muslce has a unique artcitecture. Describe the role of intercalated dics, desmosomes and gap junctions.
Branched cells.
- Intercalated discs: part of the cardiac muscle sarcolemma, contain gap junctions for depolarization
- Gap junctions allow cardiac cells to communicate with each other using signaling molecules (ions). Allow electrical signal to pass through. ie. One has AP, the next one recieves it.
- Desmosomes prevent cells from separating during a contraction
Describe the phases of a AP of cardiac muscle
‘cardiac contractile muscle action’
0 - Fast Na+ channels open = quick depolarisation
1 - Na channels close, fast K+ channels open (not many) - causes slight repolarisation (depression) in AP
2 - More K+ channels open (leaves), Ca2+ open (enters) = counteract eachother: PLATEAU
3- Ca2+ channels close, Slow K+ channels open (more leaving) = rapid repolarisation
Back to resting potential (K+ channels close)
What is the term for when heart muscle contracts as one
Syncytium *contraction in sync*
What do cardiac pacemaker cells do
Sets the rhythm of the heat by stimulating AP’s from cardiac muscle cells
SA node generates signal fastest = pacemaker (master controller) - Passes signal across atria
What are the 5 different tissue types of the heart and how does electrical potential spread (sequence)?
SA node (pacemaker)
AV node
AV bundle (bundle of His)
Bundle branches
Endocardial network (purkinje fibres)
= Contraction (Atria -> Ventricles)
AP gets passed on very quickly!
Why is the sequence of contraction important, ie. sequence of AP through various types of cells
To slow transmission of AP so that the atria have time to contract and send blood to ventricles before ventricles contract
*ordered sequence for transmission of blood*
Why is the AV bundle important
AP (electrical signal) can’t get across band of C.T at atria-ventricle junction therefore the AP can only get across at AV bundle
- Only place for AP to pass! Provides electrical gap that allows signal to pass
Why do you have autorhymisity of cardiac muscle cells ie. Packmaker cell AP
Pacemaker cells have Na+ leak channels (open themselves) allowing Na+ to enter cell slowly and cause depolarisation when threshold is reached
Describe the AP of a pacemaker cell
Na+ leak channels = constantly open, slow entry of Na+
when membrane threshold reached…
fast Ca2+ voltage channels open = rapid depolarisation
K+ voltage channels open = repolarisation
Na+ -> Ca2+ -> K+
= Continuous generating of AP’s
What is the difference in AP of a pacemaker cell vs cardiac muscle cell
Same sequence of ion movement (Na+ -> Ca2+ -> K+) but channels differ…
Cardiac Muscle cell: Na2+ voltage gated
Pacemaker: Na2+ Leak channels (unstable resting membrane potential)
What is a electrocardiogram (simply)…
Currents from the heart detected with electrodes (Electrical activity detected not contraction)
- number of leads used determines sensitity (usually 3 leads used)
Depol and Repol of the cardiac muscle
The normal sequence of the heart detected by a three lead ECG is divided into 3 distinct waves…
- P Wave = Atrial depol
- QRS complex = Ventricle depol
- T wave = Ventricle repol
Atria repol is within QRS complex, small amount of tissue means you cant see ie. ventricle depol overrides
What does the ST segment on an ECG symbolise
Where ventricles depolarisation and contracting (where blood is being pushed out)
What does the T wave symbolise on an ECG
Ventricular repolarisation
What is cardiac output and how do we measure it?
How much bloody pumped out per beat
= Stroke volume (ventricular ejection) x Heart rate
note. Determined by Venous return: heart pumps out what it gets back
Measured by…
Mean arterial pressure/total peripheral resistance
The amt of bloood pumped out depends on…
- heart rate
- quantity of blood in ventricles
- pressure in ventricles (contraction pressure)
- pressure in arteries
Define ‘venous return’
How much blood comes in through major veins (to heart - imptly left ventricle)
Impt determinant in stroke volume
What is the anatomical differences in the left and right side of the heart and how does this relate to pressure
Left side muscle tissue = thick and big as its working/generating at higher pressure
Right side = little and less muscular
chamber size (volume) = SAME
Describe the Frank Starling law of the heat
Preload
More blood = more muscle contracts (stronger) = more blood pumped out (ejected)
Stroke volume proportional to diastolic volume
What is EDV and ESV
EDV: End diastolic volume (relaxation of ventriles ie. when filled - highest volume)
ESV: End systolic volume (end of contraction of ventricles still a little blood left)
Difference = Stroke volume (amount of blood pumpted out of the ventricle/beat)
Define stroke volume
Amount of blood pumped out of the ventricle per beat
= EDV-ESV
How do you alter HR and contraction strength
Nervous input - Sympathetic stimulation (adrenaline)
Acts on Pacemaker cells - speeds up activity - rise threshold faster by more Na+ leakage channels opening
= more AP’s = higher HR
What receptors do noradrenaline/adrenaline work on in the heart
Work via B1 receptors
B1 receptors stimulate contraction
= increases cardiac output
How does the parasympathetic N.S effect the heart
parasympathetic stimulation via vagus
Slows heart down by hyperpolarising therefore making it harder to reach threshold, less AP’s generated, slows HR
Works by M2 Channels - relax muscle!
Pressure is the molecules of blood hitting the walls of the heart. When heart contracts it creates pressure to move blood around body.
How is blood volume related to blood pressure?
More blood = More pressure (more interaction between blood and vessel wall - resistance to flow)
Need pressure to overcome resistance and get flow
What is one of most important factors that effects blood pressure
Vessel diameter
Vessels create resistance to flow
Vessel wider = More area = blood is in bigger space, less resistance = pressure drops
Vessel narrow = more resistance to flow