Cardiovascular System Flashcards
Does the heart contain valves?
Yes
The heart is what kind of pump?
dual pump?
How are muscle cells connected in the heart?
via gap junctions
What type of cells muscle cells does the conduction system have?
- non contractile muscle cells (SA and AV node)
- contractile muscle cells (myocardium ventricles)
What are these non-contractile muscle cells modified to do?
to initiate and distribute impulse throughout the heart
what are the parts of the conduction system?
- sinoatrial node (SA)
- atrioventricular node (AV)
- bundle of his (AV bundle)
- purkinje fibres
Describe the sinoatrial node? (SA) What is it’s rate?
- it’s the pacemaker because it depolarizes faster than other areas which generates AP faster.
- 100 APs/min which is modified by the Parasympathetic NS to become 75APs/min
Where is the sinoatrial node found?
right atrium
where is the atrioventricular node found?
right atrium
what is the rate of contraction at the AV node
50 APs/min
Describe the the Bundle of His. Where does it originate?
- originates from the AV node
- it’s the only route of electrical activity to go from the atria to the ventricles and bundle branches on left and right of the heart
Describe the Purkinje fibres. What is the rate of impulse?
- they are terminal fibres which stimulate the ventricles myocardium
- 30APs/min
Describe the electrical activity in the heart. Use diagram from notes page 1
- did you get it right?
What happens if the SA node is damaged?
the next fastest pacemaker takes over which is the AV node
- as a result, the atria might not contract and the ventricles might contract at AV speed which is 50APs/min
what are artificial pacemakers?
they are devices which stimulate the the hearts if SA node or AV node are damaged.
Describe the cells in the SA & AV nodes?
- they are non contractile autorhythmic cardiac muscle cells which are self-excitable
What threshold is needed to fire up an AP in SA and AV nodes?
-40 mv
Do SA and AV nodes have a resting potential?
no
What are the phases of pacemaker activity?
- Pacemaker Potential
- AP depolarization
- AP repolarization
- Na+ channels open at -60mv
Describe the pacemaker potential.
- There is low K+ permeability because K+ voltage gates are closed
- There is slow inward leak of Na+ because Na+ voltage gates are open
= which causes slow depolarization towards the threshold (-40mv)
Describe the AP depolarization
- slow inward of leak of Na+ due to open Na+ voltage gates
- Ca2+ voltage gates open which allows Ca2+ to move in = this causes the depolarization which causes AP
- during depolarization, the Na2+ voltage gates close
- Ca2+ voltage gates close at the peak
Are Na+ voltage gates involved in Depolarization?
- no
When do the Ca2+ voltage gates close down?
when peak is reached.
describe the AP repolarization
at the peak, the K+ voltage gates open to let K+ diffuse out