CVS Session 2: cardiac cycle Flashcards
Why is the heart described as 2 pumps acting in series?
Left heart-goes to systemic circulation, high pressure
Right heart-goes to pulmonary circulation, low pressure
Output of both sides over time must be equal
Describe the conduction system of the heart
Pacemaker cells of the SA node generate APs spontaneously at regular intervals
Activity spreads over atria (atrial systole)
Reaches AV node, delayed for ~120ms
Spreads down septum between ventricles down the bundle of his and purkinje fibres
Spreads through ventricular myocardium from endocardial to epicardial surface
Ventricle contracts from the apex upwards, forcing blood through the outflow valves
Function of valvular cusps?
Ensure blood only flows in one direction: pushed open to allow blood flow and close together to seal to prevent backflow
Describe the four cardiac valves
Atrioventricular valves:
Tricuspid (right, 3 cusps)
Mitral (left, 2 cusps)
Cusps attach to papillary muscles via chordae tendinae to prevent inversion of the valves in systole
Semilunar/outflow valves:
Pulmonary (right ventricle into pulmonary artery)
Aortic (left ventricle to aorta)
Function of AV node delay of 120ms?
Ensures the atria have ejected their blood before the ventricles contract
Describe the cellular changes in the course of the myocardial action potential
Rapid depolarisation: Na+ channels open causing rapid influx
Initial rapid repolarisation: inactivation of Na+ channels
Plateau: Ca2+ influx through slowly-opening channels
Repolarisation to resting potential: net K+ efflux
Changes in aortic pressure over one depolarisation/heart beat
Increases gradually during atrial systole, drops to initial level during ventricular systole then rises slightly during isovolumetric relaxation, then plateaus during later stages
Changes in atrial pressure over one depolarisation
Rises slightly during atrial systole
Changes in ventricular pressure over one depolarisation
Increases dramatically during ventricular contraction, falls back to level of start during isovolumetric relaxation
Name the 7 stages of the cardiac cycle
- Atrial contraction
- Isovolumetric contraction
- Rapid ejection
- Reduced ejection
- Isovolumetric relaxation
- Rapid filling
- Reduced filling
In which stages are the AV valves open?
Atrial contraction
Rapid filling
Reduced filling
In which stages are the AV valves closed?
Isovolumetric contraction
Rapid ejection
Reduced ejection
Isovolumetric relaxation
In which stages are the semilunar valves open?
Rapid ejection
Reduced ejection
In which stages are the semilunar valves closed?
Atrial contraction Isovolumetric contraction Isovolumetric relaxation Rapid filling Reduced filling
Events in atrial contraction?
Atrial pressure rises
Causes the final 10% of left ventricular filling
Narrows SVC, IVC and PV so not much blood regurgitates
AV valves are open, semilunar valves are closed
What is end diastolic volume?
The max. ventricular volume at the end of atrial contraction
~120ml
Events in isovolumetric contraction? (diastole)
AV valves close as intraventricular pressure exceeds atrial pressure (semilunar stay shut)
No change in ventricular volume as all valves closed
Events in rapid ejection? (systole)
Intraventricular pressure > aortic pressure, so aortic valve opens (others shut). Lowest aortic pressure
Atrial pressure initially decreases as ventricles contract, then rises as blood continues to flow into atria from venous inputs
Rapid decrease in ventricular volume as blood is ejected into the aorta
Events in reduced ejection? (systole)
Repolarisation of ventricle-decreased rate of ejection
Atrial pressure gradually rises due to continued venous return
(AV valves closed, SL open)
Events in isovolumetric relaxation? (systole)
Intraventricular pressure
What is end systolic volume?
The volume at the end of systole in the ventricles
~50ml
What is stroke volume?
The blood that is ejected during systole
Calculated by EDV-ESV
~80ml
Events in rapid filling? (diastole)
Intraventricular pressure
Events in reduced filling? (diastole)
Rate of filling decreases-IV pressure rises,
Heart about 90% filled by now
Further filling by atrial systole
Aortic and pulmonary arterial pressures falling