Electrical Activity of the Heart Flashcards
What does the QRS complex represent?
Ventricular depolarization
In one minute how many big boxes will pass on an EKG?
300 large boxes
Which part of the EKG gives you an idea of how long it takes for the AP to go from the SA node to the ventricles?
The PR interval
Which leads are especially useful at providing information about how the septum and left heart are working?
V1 and V2
What is the term for QRS complexes that are not evenly spaced?
Sinus arrythmia
What part of the EKG represents AV nodal delay?
The PR segments
What causes repolarization of fast-response cardiomyocytes?
Closure of calcium channels and Potassium efflux
What is the pathway of cardiac actiion potentials?
SA node–internodal pathway–>AV node–> Bundle of His–> Bundle branches–> Purkinje fibers
What caues rapid depolarization in fast response cardiomyocytes?
Sodium influx
What is the effect of a myocardial infarction on the ST segment?
Elevation
True or False: mean electrical axis is calculated based on ventricular depolarization only
True
What is the nodal delay?
The atrioventricular node slows conduction to 1/20 of the conduction speed of normal myocardium
Where are the electrodes places for lead II?
Negative on R. arm, Positive on L. leg
What is the rate of purkinje fiber action potential conduction relative to myocardium conduction?
4-6x faster than myocardium
If the vector goes the opposite direction as the lead but parallel what will the strength and direction of EKG deflection be?
Strong downward deflection
If there is an R wave every 3 big boxes, what would the heart rate be?
100 bpm
What transfers the action potential from the SA node to the AV node?
Atrial internodal pathways
What is tachycardia?
A heart rate above 100 bpm
What leads to the autorhymicity of pacemaker cells?
Rather than having a resting membrane potential these cells have a decay towards threshold due to leaky ion channels
What is the physiologic advantage of the actional potential spreading from the apex of the heart up?
The pulmonary and aortic valves are located at the top of each ventricle, so squeezing from the apex towards the base maximizes the ejection of blood
How do sympathetics speed up the heart rate?
BY releasing norepinephrine which binds to beta1-receptors on autorhymthic cells allowing the leakiness that drives the threshold graded depolarization to occur faster
What cells of the heart are fast-response?
Cardiomyocytes
What events are represented by the T wave in leads I and aVF?
Repolarization of the ventricles
What does the QT interval represent?
Ventricular depolarization and repolarization