Case 13 Flashcards
Ionic current responsible for phase 4 of myocyte action potential
Ik1 - Inwardly rectifying potassium channels
Ionic current responsible for phase 0 of myocyte action potential
INa - Influx of sodium into cell
Ionic current responsible for phase 1 of myocyte action potential
Ito - Transient outward movement of potassium ions
Ionic current responsible for phase 2 of myocyte action potential
ICa,L - longlasting, inward movement of calcium
Ikr and Iks - rapid and slow outward movement of K+
Ionic currents increased by B-adrenergic stimulation
Iks, Ik1 and ICa,L
Calcium to a lesser extent than potassium
Effect of B-adrenergic stimulation on myocyte action potential
Shortens phase 2
Greater activation of potassium channels than calcium. So phase 2 ends sooner
Ryanodine receptor (RyR2)
Release of calcium in sarcoplasmic reticulum into sarcoplasm
Calsequestrin
Binds Ca2+ in SR lumen
FKBP
Inhibits RyR2
Dissociates from RyR2 on B-adrenergic stimulation - no longer inhibiting it.
SERCA2a
Ca2+ ATPase
In SR
Transports 2x Ca2+ per ATP
PMCA
Ca2+ ATPase
In sarcolemma (plasma membrane)
Transports 1x Ca2+ per ATP
Phospholamban
Regulator of SERCA2a
Calmodulin
Regulator of PMCA
Causes removal of Ca2+ when activated
Effect of sympathetic stimulation on phospholamban
Phospholamban is phosphorylated by PKA
Becomes less inhibitory of SERCA2a
TnT
Troponin which binds tropomyosin
TnC
Troponin which binds calcium
Effect of Ca2+ binding to TnC
Myosin and actin are able to interact
When TnI is phosphorylated by PKA
Sensitivity of myofilaments to Ca2+ is decreased
HCN channels
Hyperpolarisation-activated Cyclic Nucleotide-gated
Cause there to be an unstable resting potential (funny current)
Ionic current responsible for phase 4 of pacemaker action potential
If
Inward movement of Na+ via HCN channels
Ionic current responsible for phase 0 of pacemaker action potential
ICa,L
Inward movement of Ca2+
Ionic current responsible for phase 3 of pacemaker action potential
Ikr and Iks
Outward movement of K+
What is happening in the SAN to bring about tachycardia?
Increased binding of cAMP to HCN4 channels.
Increased Na+ entry into SAN cells.
Increased steepness of pacemaker potential.
What is happening in SAN to bring about bradycardia?
Decreased binding of cAMP to HCN4 - flattening of pacemaker potential.
Increased KACh (outward K+ current) - hyperpolarisation, takes longer for membrane potential to reach threshold.
I ncx (Ionic Current NCX)
Inward current via 3Na+(out)/Ca2+(in) exchange
I Ca,T (Ionic current Ca,T)
Inward T-type Ca2+ currents
Activated at negative potentials
Inactivated rapidly
I Kr (Ionic current Kr)
hERG channels
Associated with LQT2
I Ks (Ionic current Ks) channels are associated with…
LQT1
Dromotropic agents affect..
Conduction speed in AVN
High conductance connexins
Cx40 and Cx43
Low conductance connexins
Cx30 and Cx45
Connexins expressed by AVN
Cx30 and Cx45
Activated tropomyosin…
Blocks actin from binding to myosin
Troponin:Ca2+ complex…
Pulls tropomyosin away from actin’s myosin binding site
In smooth muscle, calcium binds to…
Calmodulin
Calcium:Calmodulin complex in smooth muscle cells activates…
MLCK
Smooth muscle cross bridge activity is turned on by Ca2+-mediated changes in…
Thick filaments
Myosin
Skeletal muscle cross bridge activity is turned on by Ca2+-mediated changes in…
Thin filaments
Actin
Normal AVN delay
0.12-0.2s
On an ECG, AVN delay is represented by…
PR interval
Conduction velocity in Bundle of His
1m/s
Conduction velocity in Purkinje Fibres
5m/s
Why is conduction velocity higher in Purkinje Fibres than in Bundle of His?
Larger diameter
Mechanism for AVN reentry tachycardia
Activation enters AVN via slow pathway.
Retrogradely activates atria via fast pathway.
AVRTs can be…
Orthodromic or Antidromic
AVRT result from….
An accessory pathway
ECG features of an orthodromic AVRT
200-300bpm
P waves buried in QRS
T wave inversion
ST depression
ECG features of an antidromic AVRT
200-300bpm
Wide QRS
Bundle of Kent
Accessory pathway seen in Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
AVRT resulting from a specific accessory pathway - the Bundle of Kent
ECG features seen in Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
PR interval <120ms
Delta wave
QRS prolongation
ST segment and T wave changes
Delta Wave
Slurring, slow rise of initial portion of QRS
Seen in WPW Syndrome
Peri-infarct zone consists of…
Dense scar tissue dispersed between living, normal cells
How does scar tissue cause reentry tachycardia?
Flow of impulse perpendicular to line of muscle cells is much slower than usual.
When excitation reaches the end of the muscle cells, it is able to stimulate them perpendicularly in the opposite direction (since it is not in ERP)
Triggered Activity
Impulse initiation in cardiac fibres that is dependent on after depolarisations
After-depolarsations
Oscillations in membrane potential that follow the upstroke of an action potential.
Causes of repolarisation abnormalities (3)
Drugs
Genetic predisposition
Electrolyte imbalance
Why do cardiac cells have automaticity?
They can generate spontaneous action potentials due to diastolic depolarisation.
i.e. net inward current during phase 4 of action potential
Broad complex tachycardia
QRS complex >120ms
Narrow complex tachycardia
QRS complex <120ms
Causes of broad complex tachycardia
VT
SVT + BBB
Accessory pathway related
Causes of narrow complex tachycardia
Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter Multifocal Atrial tachycardia AVNRT/AVRT (short PR) Sinus tachy/Atrial tachy (long PR)
Tachycardia
> 100bpm
Sinus rhythm
P wave before every QRS complex
Normal PR interval (120-200ms)
Regular rhythm
Normal PR interval
120-200ms
Sinus Arrhythmia
Normal phenomenon in the young
Heart rate increases when a deep breath is taken in and out
Symptoms of arrhythmias
Palpitations Dyspnoea Presyncope (dizziness) Chest pain Sudden cardiac death
Since palpitations are a common symptom, you should also ask about (the palpitations)…
Duration
Onset
Associated symptoms
Why do arrhythmias cause dyspnoea?
Reduced cardiac output
Why do arrhythmias cause chest pain?
O2 demand exceeds supply.
Demand may be high due to tachycardia
Supply may be low due to low cardiac output
Why do arrhythmias cause presyncope?
Inadequate cerebral perfusion
Prevalence of sudden cardiac death
1/1000 per year
Arrhythmias causing sudden cardiac death
Ventricular fibrillation
Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia
Proportion of sudden cardiac deaths with structurally abnormal heart
2/3
Proportion of sudden cardiac deaths resulting from coronary artery disease
80%
On an ECG, Ventricular ectopic beats…
Broad QRS
On an ECG, Atrial ectopic beats…
Narrow QRS
Inverted P waves
Compensatory pause afterwards
Paroxysmal AF
Episodes last <48hrs
Persistent AF
Episodes last 48hrs-1 week
Permanent AF
Symptoms occurring at all times
Structural heart disease causing AF
Valvular, Ischaemic, Hypertensive and congenital heart disease
Athletes heart
Cardiomyopathies
Causes of AF with no structural heart disease
Metabolic e.g. hyperthyroidism
Biochemical e.g. Hyperkalaemia
Drugs e.g. caffeine, alcohol
Severe infections
MOA of flecainide
VW Class Ic - Na+ channel blocker
MOA of Propafenone
VW Class Ic - Na+ channel blocker
MOA of amiodarone
VW Class III - K+ channel blocker
MOA of dronedarone
VW Class III - K+ channel blocker
First degree heart block
Prolonged PR interval (<200ms)
Second degree heart block
Occasionally a P wave does not elicit a QRS complex
Mobitz Type I Heart Block
PR interval gets longer until eventually, P wave fails to elicit a QRS complex
Mobitz Type II Heart Block
PR interval stays the same.
Occasionally, a P wave does not elicit a QRS complex
2:1 Heart Block
Every 2nd P wave does not elicit QRS
3:1 Heart Block
Every 3rd P wave does not elicit a QRS
Complete Heart block
Complete AV dissociation
Causes of Heart Block
Age-related Acute ischaemia Hyperkalaemia Hypothermia Hypothyroidism Drugs (AVN blockers) Congenital Raised ICP