W3 Cardiac Rhythms, Arrythmias, Anti-arrythmic drugs Flashcards
What are the symptoms of an MI?
How many types of MI are there?
- Severe chest pain
- Dyspnea
- Diaphoresis
- Nausea and vomiting
5 and also MI injury
What factors affect cardiac output? (4)
Pregnancy
Age
Exercise
Respiration
equation: CO= SV x HR
Which vessel supplies oxygenated blood to the SAN?
Right coronary artery
Setting the basic rhythm: cardiac pacemaker cells
- Intrinsic cardiac conduction system
- Autorhythmic pacemaker cells (1%)
- Unstable resting potential - Gap junctions
The heart contains:
-intracellular calcium channels (i.e. ryanodine receptors and inositol trisphosphate activated calcium channels)
-voltage dependent calcium channels in the plasma membrane (L-type channel)
which are important in controlling cardiac rate and rhythm
How many circuits in the heart?
How many coronary arteries are there?
2- pulmonary and systemic
4
L + R Coronary arteries
Left Circumflex Artery
Left Marginal Artery
Left Anterior Descending Artery
Setting the basic rhythm (latent fail safes)
(for info)
Sinus Node:
- Primary pacemaker
- Fires at a rate of 60-100 depolarisations per minute
AV node:
- Base of RA
- Fires at a rate of 40-60 dpm
Ventricular (Bundle of His)
- Right and left branches
- Fires at a rate of 20-40 dpm
Ventricular (Purkinje Fibers)
- Less than 40 dpm
Interpreting ECG:
P wave- Atrial depolarisation (hides atrial repolarisation)
QRS- Ventricular depolaristion
T- Ventriclular repolarisation
PR interval: roughly 200mm/sec
Factors affecting QT interval
(ECG)
- [Plasma Ca2+]
Hypercalcemia = short QT interval
Hypocalcemia = long QT interval - Medications – Amiodarone (affects ion channels)
- Genetics – mutations in LQT1, LQT2, LQT3
Ventricular tachycardia can lead to sudden cardiac death Torsades DE Pointes
What other conditions can ECG help to diagnose?
High blood pressure, emphysema
Some congenital heart abnormalities
Which interval on an ECG represents the time it takes for the atria and ventricles to depolarise and repolarise?
QT
What is the normal range of the QRS complex?
a) 0.06-0.1 sec
Which peak represents atrial depolarisation?
P wave
The ECG segments
PR segment
Pause between SA and AV node
ST segment
Should be at isoelectric line if elevated more than 2 small boxes (2mV) could signal issues infarction or ischaemia
PR Interval
(Normal 0.12-0.20s [3-5 little boxes])
SAN firing - depolarisation of atria - pause at AV node
QRS Interval
(Normal <0.10 [2.5 little boxes])
Depolarisation of the ventricles and repolarisation of the atria (pump efficiency)
QT Interval normal >440ms ♂ or >460ms ♀ @60bpm
N.B. RATE DEPENDENT need to calculate corrected QT (Bazett formula)
If QT prolonged then youre trying to contract a heart that is still trying to relax
atrial ectopic focus – depolaristaion occurs at a pacemaker cell (not SAN) close to or further away from AV node than the SAN
CORRECTED qt
Factors affecting QT interval
QT should be adjusted for heart rate but no one can decide on correct method
What are the features of an ECG of normal sinus rhythm?
Regular
Rate 60-100bpm
1 P wave for every QRS
QRS complex is narrow
PR interval <0.02s
What are the features of an abnormal ECG?
Characteristic shape-changein an ECG
Other conditions result in changes in cardiac rhythm (arrhythmias)
Acute impairment of blood flow to the heart (ischemia).
Prior, or evolving, acute myocardial infarction.
Abnormally fast, slow or irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia).
Aberrant (abnormal) conduction of electrical activity through the heart
When may an arrythmia (abnormal heartbeat) occur?
- The heart’s natural pacemaker (the sinus node) becomes diseased and slows down
- The normal conduction pathway is interrupted
- Another part of the heart takes over as a pacemaker
What are the asymptomatic symptoms of an arrhythmia?
Palpitations
Signs of hypotension
Signs of dec brain perfusion
Tachycardia leading to Angina
Sudden cardiac death
What are the causes of arrythmias?
- Ischemia
- Hypoxia
- Acidosis or alkalosis
- Electrolyte abnormalities
- Excessive catecholamine exposure
- Autonomic influences
- Drug toxicity (eg digitalis or anti arrhythmic drugs)
- Overstretching of cardiac fibres
- The presence of scarred or otherwise diseased tissue