ECGs Flashcards
Where is the SA node located?
Top right hand corner of right atrium
near junction of SVC and right atrium
Why is the SA node specialised?
Myocytes do not contract
They spontaneously depolarise
to generate action potentials
What is the SA node known as?
Pacemaker of heart
Why is the SA node the pacemaker of the heart?
Beause it spontaneously depolarises faster than other parts of the electrical conducting system
So it sets the rhythm of the heart beat
What is it called when the SA node sets the rhythm of the heart beat?
Sinus rhythm
What happens after the SA node generates an action potential?
Wave of depolarisation spreads across internodal pathways and atrial myocytes, downwards and to left
Depolarised atrial myocytes contract
Where is the AV node located?
Interatrial septum
Above the tricuspid valve
What happens during depolarisation of the atrial myocytes and their contraction?
Action potential is held up at AV node
AV node delay
What is the purpose of AV node delay?
To allow time for all the atria to depolarise and contract
Emptying the atria, filling the ventricles
Wher doere does the AV node conduct the action potential to?
Down the bundle of His
Where is the bundle of His located?
Beginning of the interventricular septum
What is the only electrical conducting pathway between the atria and ventricles?
The bundle of His
Why is the bundle of His the only electrical conducting pathway between the atria and ventricles?
Because of fibrous rings between the atria and ventricles
non-conductive tissue
What does the bundle of His divide into?
Right bundle branch
Left bundle branch
Where do the right and left bundle branches lie?
Interventricular septum
sub-endocardially - just beneath endocardium
Where do the right and left bundle branches carry the action potential to?
Down the interventricular septum
to the apex
How does the interventricular septum depolarise?
From left to right
What carries the action potential from the apex of the heart?
Purkynje fibres
Where are the purkinje fibres located?
Walls of ventricles
sub-endocardially
Where do the purkinje fibres carry the action potential to?
Up the ventricular walls, to the base of the ventricles
How does the myocardium of the ventricles depolarise? Why?
From endocardium to epicardium
since bundle branches, His purkinje system lie sub-endocardially
What is an important feature of the His-purkinje system?
Carry action potentials extremely fast, almost simultaneously
So ventricular myocytes depolarise and contract in a synchronised way
What is the overall direction of depolarisation?
Towards the apex of the heart
What is the order of contraction in the heart?
Atrial myocytes Septum - left to right Apex Walls of ventricles - endocardium to epicardium Base of ventricles
What is the order by which cardiomyocytes repolarise?
The opposite to the order by which they depolarised
Base of ventricles
Walls of ventricles - epicardium to endocardium
Apex
Septum - right to left
What does an ECG record?
Changes occurring on extracellular surface of cardiomyocytes during depolarisation and repolarisation
How is the ECG set up?
Electrodes placed on skin
If wave of depolarisation is moving towards a positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Positive complex
If wave of depolarisation is moving away from a positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Negative complex
If wave of repolarisation is moving towards a positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Negative complex
If wave of repolarisation is moving away from positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Positive complex
Why do deflections eventually return to the baseline?
Change takes over more than half of cardiomyocytes
Becoming more similar, change decreasing
What does a flat line on an ECG mean?
No significant electrical activity occurring in heart
No change on surface of caridomyocytes
If a wave of depolarisation is travelling directly towards a positive electrode, how does show on an ECG?
Tall positive complex
If a wave of depolarisation is travelling at an angle towards a positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Shorter positive complex
If a wave of depolarisation is travelling perpendicularly towards a positive electrode, how does this show on an ECG?
Small biphasic complex - positive then negative
or no complex
How does depolarisation of the SA node show up on an ECG? Why?
Flat line, baseline
Insufficient electrical activity to be picked up by ECG
How does depolarisation of the atria show up on an ECG? Why?
Produces small positive complex
Because wave of depolarisation is moving towards positive electrode at apex, at an angle
Shows up because is large muscle mass depolarising
What is the ECG wave corresponding to atrial depolarisation?
P wave
How does the AV node delay show up on an ECG?
Flat line, baseline
called segment 1b
How does depolarisation of the His-purkinje system show up on an ECG?
Flat line, baseline
still segment 1b
How dows depolarisation of the interventricular septum show on an ECG? Why?
Short negative complex
Because moving away from positive electrode at apex, at an angle
Shows up because is large muscle mass depolarising