Heart Part II: Exam 2 Flashcards
Electrical Events of the Heart
The heart depolarizes and contracts without nervous system stimulation, but the rhythm can be altered by the autonomic nervous system
Coordinated heartbeat is a function of:
- presence of gap junctions
- intrinsic cardiac conduction system
- network of noncontractile (autorythmic) cells
- initiate and distribute impulses to coordinate depolarization and contraction of heart
Action Potential Initiation by pacemaker cells:
- cardiac pacemaker cells have unstable resting membrane potentials called pacemaker potentials or prepotentials
- 3 parts of action potential
1) pacemaker potential: K+ channels are closed, slow Na+ channels are open, causing the inside to become more positive
2) depolarization: Ca2+ channels are open (around -40 mV), allowing influx of Ca2+, leading to rising phase of action potential
3) Repolarization: K+ channels open, allowing efflux of K+, causing the cell to become more negative
Sequence of excitation
- cardiac pacemaker cells pass impulses, across heart in about .22 seconds
(in the following order)
1) sinoatrial node
2) atrioventricular node
3) atrioventricular bundle
4) right and left bundle branches
5) subendocardial conducting network (Purkinje fibers)
Sinoatrial node (SOE)
- pacemaker of heart in right atrial wall
- depolarizes faster than rest of myocardium
- generates impulses about 75x/min (sinus rhythm)
- rate of 100x/min tempered by extrinsic factors
- impulse spreads across atria, and to AV node
Atrioventricular (AV) Node (SOE)
- in inferior interatrial septum
- delays impulses about .1 second
- because fibers are smaller in diameter, have fewer gap junctions
- allows atrial contraction prior to ventricular contraction
- rate of 50x/min in absence of SA node input
Atrioventricular (AV) Bundle (SOE)
(bundle of His)
- in superior interventricular septum
- only electrical connection between atria and ventricles
- atria and ventricles not connected by gap junctions
Right & Left Bundle Branches (SOE)
- 2 pathways in interventricular septum
- carry impulses toward apex of heart
Subendocardial Conducting Network (Purkinje Fibers) (SOE)
- complete pathway through interventricular septum into apex and ventricular walls
- more elaborate on left side of heart
- AV bundle and subendocardial conducting network depolarize 30x/min in absence of AV node input
- ventricular contraction immediately follows from apex toward atria
- process from initiation at SA node to complete contraction takes about .22 sec
(CLINICAL) A defective SA node can cause ectopic focus: an abnormal pacemaker that takes over pacing
- if AV node takes over, it sets junctional rhythm at 40-60 beats/min
- extrasystole (premature contraction): ectopic focus of small region of heart that triggers impulse before SA node can, causing delay in next impulse
- heart has longer time to fill, so next contraction is felt as larger volumes of blood being pushed out
- can be from too much caffeine or nicotine
- to reach ventricles, impulse must pass through AV node
(CLINICAL) Defects in intrinsic conduction system may cause:
- arrhythmia: irregular heart rhythms
- uncoordinated atrial and ventricular contractions
- fibrillation: rapid, irregular contractions
- heart stops pumping blood, causing circulation to stop, may result in brain death
- treatment: a defibrillation interrupts chaotic twitching, giving heart “clean slate” to start regular, normal depolarizations
(CLINICAL) If AV node is defective, may cause heart block
- few impulses (partial block) or no impulse (total block) reach ventricles
- ventricles beat at their own intrinsic rate
- too slow to maintain adequate circulation
- treatment: artificial pacemaker, which recouples atria and ventricles
Heartbeat modified by autonomic nervous system by cardiac centers in medulla oblongata
- cardioacceleratory center: sends signals through the sympathetic trunk to increase rate and force
- stimulates SA and AV nodes, heart muscles, and cornonary arteries
- cardioinhibitory center: parasympathetic signals by vagus nerve to decrease rate
- inhibit SA and AV nodes by vagus nerves
Action potentials of contractile cardiac muscle cells:
- contractile musle fibers make up bulk of heart and responsible for pumping actions
- different from skeletal muscle contraction; cardiac muscle action potentials have plateau
Steps involved in action potential:
1) depolarization opens fast voltage-gated Na+ channels; Na+ enters cell - positive feedback influx of Na+ cause rising phase of AP (-90 mV to +30mV)
2) slow Ca2+ channels opened due to Na+ depolarization - at +30mV, Na+ channels close, but slow Ca2+ channels stay open, prolonging depolarization
- seen as plateau
3) after about 200 ms, slow Ca2+ channels close, and voltage-gated K+ channels open - rapid efflux of K+ repolarizes cell to RMP
- Ca2+ is pumped back into SR and out of cell into extracellular space
- different from skeletal muscle contraction; cardiac muscle action potentials have plateau
Difference between contractile muscle fiber and skeletal muscle fiber contractions
- AP in skeletal lasts 1-2 ms; cardiac lasts 200 ms
- contraction in skeletal lasts 15-100 ms; cardiac contraction lasts over 200 ms