origin + conduction of cardiac impulse Flashcards
what is the heart
electrically controlled muscular pump which sucks and pumps blood
where are electrical signals which control the heart generated
within the heart
the heart is capable of beating rhythmically in the absence of external stimuli (T/F)
True
what is autorhythmicity
heart is capable of beating rhythmically in the absence of external stimuli
excitation originates
pacemaker cells in sino-atrial node
what initiates heart beat
cluster of specialised pacemaker cell in SA node
where is the SA node located
Upper right atrium
SA node does not drive entire heart (T/F)
False - does drive entire heart
What is sinus rhythm?
Heart controlled by sino-atrial node
How does cardiac excitation originate?
- cells in SA node = no stable resting membrane potential
- cells in SA node = generate regular spontaneous pacemaker potentials
- spontaneous membrane potential takes membrane potential to threshold
- every time threshold reached = action potential
- –> regular spontaneous action potentials in SA node
define pacemaker potential
slow depolarisation of membrane potential to a threshold
pacemaker potential due to
- decrease in K+ efflux
- Na+ and K+ influx
- transient Ca++ influx
explain rising phase of action potential
- depolarisation
- activation of long lasting L-type Ca++ channels
- Ca++ influx
explain falling phase of action potential
- repolarisation
- activation of K+ channels
- K+ efflux
Cell-to-cell current flow moves via
Gap junctions
Give characteristics of the AV node
- small bundle of specialised cells
- located at base of right atrium just above junction of atria and ventricles
- only point of electrical contact between A + V
- smal in diameter
- slow conduction velocity
Spread of Excitiation
-across atria = cell-to-cell conduction via gap junctions
-SA to AV node = cell-to-cell conduction via gap junctions
AV node = conduction delayed (atrial systole to proceed ventricular diastole
-Bundle of His, Purkinjie Fibres = rapid spread of action potentials to ventricles
-ventricular muscle = cell-to-cell conduction
Phase 0 of ventricular muscle action potential
fast Na+ influx