cardio physio Flashcards
(102 cards)
what is the sequence of flow of electrical signals through the heart?
SA node→ AV node→ bundle of his→ left/right bundles→ purkinje fibres
what is the function of the AV node?
ensures atria & ventricles function in sync
- ensures complete atrial depolarisation before depolarisation spreads to ventricles
- ie atria contract→ ventricles contract (AV nodal delay)
what is the function of fibrous rings?
- electrically insulates ventricles from atria (AV node’s the only gate)
- prevents signals from travelling from atria→ ventricles directly
- ie allows AV node to regulate ventricular depolarisation
what is the function of bundle of his?
- specially rapidly conducting tissues
- allows synchronised contraction between & within ventricles
what are the consequences of RCA (right coronary artery) being infarcted?
RCA supplies SA node, AV node, RV and RA
- SA node compromised (fires impulses slower→ bradycardia)
- AV nodal block
what happens during AV nodal heart block?
- impulses from atria to ventricles blocked ie ventricular rate is no longer controlled by SA node (now controlled by downstream pacemaker discharging at slower rate)
- heart rate decreases
- ventricular stroke volume’s variable due to variable filling (no longer atria full→ ventricle pump)
how is heart rate regulated?
- by ANS
- through the vasomotor centre (VMC)
what factors indirectly increase heart rate (via VMC) (4)
- increased pain
- fall in arterial pressure
- increase H+ ions
- inspiration
what factors directly increase heart rate (3)
- catecholamines (stress hormones)
- increase temperature
- thyroxines (hormones regulating metabolism)
what are the sympathetic effects on the depolarising activity of SA node (2)
- resting membrane potential is more positive
- slope of depolarisation is steeper
threshold potential for SA to fire impulse is reached faster→ SA node fires more frequently!!
what causes upstroke in ventricular muscle action potential?
depolarisation of purkinje fibres→ depolarise muscles→ opens voltage gated Na+ channels→ INFLUX of Na+
what causes early fast repolarisation in ventricular muscle action potential?
K+ channels open→ EFFLUX of K+
what causes plateau in ventricular muscle action potential?
Ca2+ channels open→ INFLUX of Ca2+
(K+ efflux> Ca2+ influx→ gradual downward sloping)
what causes repolarisation (phase 3) in ventricular muscle action potential?
Ca2+ channels close→ Ca2+ influx stops→ K+ efflux continues
what gives rise to the P wave?
atrial depolarisation
what gives rise to the QRS complex?
ventricular depolarisation (atrial repolarisation is masked)
what gives rise to the T wave?
ventricular repolarisation
what is PR interval?
- start of P wave to start of QRS complex
- time taken for signal to travel from AV node to ventricles (conduction through AV node)
what are the pathologies of PR interval? (2)
- wide (>2 squares): P-mitrale/LA enlargement
- tall (>2 squares): P-pulmonale/RA enlargement
what is the QRS interval?
time for ventricular depolarisation
what is the RR interval?
- peak R to peak R
- time taken from one cycle to the next ie heart rate
- irregular: arrythmias
what is the QT interval?
- start of QRS to end of T
- time for ventricular depolarisation + repolarisation
what is the ST segment?
- end of QRS to start of T
what does a Tall QRS complex show? (increase voltage/amplitude)
hypertrophy