CRS 4 Flashcards
Describe what occurs in the plateau phase phase 2) of the cardiac action potential
- Ca2+ enters via L-type Ca2+ channels
- Activated slowly when membrane potential more positive than ~-35mV
- Do not activate rapidly
- Reduced outward current of K+ continues
- Calcium entry essentail for contraction
Describe what occurs in the rapid depolarisation phase (phase 3) of the cardiac action potential
Ca2+ influx declines and K+ outward current becomes more dominant
- Decreases rate of repolarisation taking place
Describe what occurs during the electrical diastole phase (phase 4) of the cardiac action potential
Resting membrane potential restored by active pumps relocating sodium, potassium and calciu
What is the all or none principle
- A stimulus must be above threshold potential in order to generate an action potential
- Strength of stimulus does not affect strength of action potential but does alter the firing frequency of action potentials
Compare the absolute and relative refractory period
- Absolute is period immediately following the firing of a nerve fibre. Cannot be stimulated no matter how great a stimulus is applied
- Relative follows absolute, a new action potential can be generated under the correct circumstances
- Refractory period prevents the fusion of action potentials, period of relaxation between contractions, tetanus cannot occur
What is the effect of he sympathetic system on the sinoatria and atrioventricular nodes?
- Releases noradrenaline at SA node to increase heart rate
- Increases rate of drigt towards threshold potential
- Affects whole heart
- Uses beta-receptor activation
- Higher, shorter AP and stronger quicker contractions
- Stimulation of beta-receptors increases Ca2+ entry, K+ channels open sooner and contraction is more forceful
Describe the effects of the parasympathetic system on the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes
- Releases ACh at SAN
- Decrease heart rate and rate of drift to threshold potential
- PSNS dominant in normal dog
- Acts mainly on SAN and AVN
- Strong anti-sympathetic action on the atrial cells
- Little direct action on ventricles
- At SAN, PSNS decreases rate and AVN slows conduction and lengthens refractory period
Outline the structural components of the cardiac conduction system and its function
- AP spreads from SAN through atria to AVN
- Activated ventricular myocardium through specialised conduction system
- AP delayed at AVN
- Excitation spreads to atrioventricular bund and finally to Purkinje fibres
- Delays impulse between atria and ventricle (so do not contract at same time)
- Cardiac conduction system also allows more rapid conduction of AP than in contactile muscle cells
Describe the function of the Purkinje fibres in the heart
- Rapid conduction tissues
- Ensure simultaneous contraction of ventricles from apec to base of heart
- AP in Purkinje fibres is similar to that in ventricles
- Retains spontaneous activity as a result of sodium leakage but usually suppressed by SAN and AVN
Describe the function of the SAN
- In charge of initiation of cardiac impulse in normal heart
- Wall of right atrium
- Lack fast Na+ channels, but have spontaneously opening Na+ channels that open when AP is finished
- Closes K+ ion chanels and influx of Ca2+ speeds up final appraoch to threshold potential
- Rate of Na+ entry controls rate of depolarisation
- Chronotropic agents can be used to increase rate of sodium entry by opening more Na+ ion channels = increase heart rate
- Resting mV ~-60mV and threshold is ~-40mV
Describe the function of the AV node
- Auxillary pacemaker function
- Long refractory period prevents ventricles contracting too fast
- Sympathetic action shortens AVN delay
- Increases AV conduction by shortening AV node refractory period
- AV node can act as a pacemaker in absence of dominant SAN
Describe the nature of action potentials in the atrial cells
- Similar AP to ventricular cells
- Plateau is shorter
- Ca2+ slow channels open and K+ ion channels are closed for a hsorter period
- Atrial cells capable of forming more APs/min (atria beat faster than ventricles)
Describe the functional characteristic that enables and blocks propagaion of excitation through the myocardium
- Anulus fibrosis is a sheet of connective tissue that electricall insulates ventricles from atria
- Allows ventricular filling to complete before initiation of ventricular systole
- Can become completely ossified in some species
- AVN, Bundle of His (atrioventricular bundle) and Purkinje fibres all enable propagation of excitation through the myocardium
Summarise automaticity in the cardiac muscle
- Spontaneous electrical activity needed is product of sudden inward movement of sodium (not through fast channels)
- Rate of sodium influx affects rate of depolarisation
- Ensures dominance suppression of minor pacemakers
- SAN usually dominant, then AVN then Purkinje
Describe how contraction of the cardiomyocytes is carried out
- Calcium concentration increases in sarcolemma and binds to troponin C
- Causes dissociation of toponin from actin and tropomyosin moves out of actin cleft uncovering binding sites
- Myosin can now cross bridge actin
- Tension produced is dependent on number of cross links formed and calcium concentration in the cells
Describe the distribution of PSNS in the thorax
- PSNS fibres leave CNS in cranial nerves III, VII, IX, X
- Supply everything but the pelvis
- III, VII, IX run to head, only X runs to body and thorax alongisde carotid arteries
Describe the distribution of the SNS in the thorax
- Originate from thoracolumbar spinal cord
- Sympathetic chain carries pairs down body
- Ganglia for these are outside of spinalcord and make up sympathetic chain
- Nerves run with blood vessels rather than making new paths
Describe the effects of the Frank/Starling mechanism on cardiac contractility
- More heart is stretched, stronger force of contraction
- Increasing preload by increasing venous return, and afterload and inotropy are constant then stroke volume is increased
Define cardiac outut and outline the factors influencing this
Cardiac output is the volume ofblood pumped out of the heart in one minute
- Stroke volume x heart rate
Define blood pressure and outline factors influencing this
- The pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the vessels
- Affected by contractility and heart rate
- Diameter and elasticity of arterial walls
- High BP in arteries, low BP in veins
- Necessary for blood to flow
Define stroke volume and outline factors influencing this
- The volume of blood that is pumped out of the heart in one contraction
- Calculated by end-diastolic volume minus end diastolic volume
- Is affected by venous return, proload, afterload and inotropy
What is an inotrope?
- An agent that alters the force of muscular contraction
- A negative inotrope weakens contractions
- Positive inotrope strengthens muscular contractions
What effect does haemorrhage have on cardiac output, stroke volume and blood pressure
- Arterial blood pressure falls, reducing venous retun
- reduces cardiac output
- Decreasing mean arterial pressure
- Total peripheral resistance decreases while tissue fluid volume increase and urine output decreases due to retention of salts as blood flow to kidney is reduced
- Heart rate and contractility increase due to increased sympathetic tone
- Stroke volume reduced due to reduced venous return
- Cardiac output reduced over all
What happens to cardiac output, stroke volume and blood pressure during exercise?
- Increased stroke volume, decreased left ventricular and diastolic pressure
- End systolic volume decreases so stroke volume can be maintained