test 8 physiology of transplanted heart

Question 1

Physiology of Transplanted Heart

Answer 1

• when we cut out the donor heart, we completely cut out the nerves (vegus nerve)
   Faster resting heart rate (95-100 beats per min)
   Intrinsic rate of SA node
   No parasympathetic down regulation
   Slower to increase HR in response to exercise
   Slower to recover after exercise
   No angina with ischemia
   Will have silent MIs. Will present with CHF, Silent MI or Sudden death because they don’t have any nerves to sense the pain.
   Don’t respond to drugs that work via the parasympathetic pathway.