Hypertension Flashcards
(150 cards)
Which component of the heart is responsible for initiating contraction?
SA node
At what rate does the SA node depolarize?
every second OR 70 times per minute
What is sick sinus syndrome?
SA node not firing at regular pace
SA node no longer driving depolarization
fairly common problem among elderly
What is the solution to sick sinus syndrome?
pacemakers
-little electrode inserted in chest wall
-pumps 60-70 times per minute
-no longer have to rely on SA node
What is the role of the AV node?
gateway for electrical impulses into ventricles
-delays ventricular contraction=allows time for ventricle to
fill
located between atrium and ventricles, allows impulses to pass between the two
only way for an impulse to trigger ventricles in a healthy heart
Describe what is happening to cardiac cells prior to conduction.
cardiac cells are polarized
-80-90mV negative compared to outside the cell
ion pumps work to maintain this resting membrane potential
Na+ atoms sitting outside the polarized cell wanting to get inside due to the negative charge
Describe each phase of cardiac action potential.
prior to AP, cardiac cells are polarized at -80-90mV and some
Na+ will start to leak into the cell and reach a point (-75mV)
where Na voltage-dependent channels open
Phase 0:
-increase in permeability to Na+ influx
-Ca channels open at around -60mV
=depolarization has been coupled with contraction
Phase 1:
-brief re-polarization from K+ escaping cell
Phase 2:
-Ca continues to enter center (started in phase 0)
-Ca enters through L type calcium channels
-Ca movement initiates muscle contraction
Phase 3:
-membrane remains permeable
-Na and K ejected to repolarize the cell
Phase 4:
-Na+ is cleared from the cell and K+ loss slows
-eventually, an abrupt increase in Na+ permeability will occur
when a certain threshold potential is reached
Which part of the heart will have the steepest slope in phase 4 of an action potential?
SA node
depolarizes once every second
True or false: muscle cannot contract again until repolarization occurs
true
What is an ECG?
graph of electrical activity in heart
detected by electrodes (i.e. leads) attached to the patient
the location of the leads allows different angles of the heart to be examined
6-12 leads are often used
What does each lead of an ECG measure?
2, 3, and aVF=inferior region
1 and aVL=lateral activity
aVR=rightward
V1, V2=septal activity (wall between atria and ventricle)
V3, V4=apical activity
V5, V6=lateral regions
What is the most sensitive and effective way to detect a heart attack?
ECG
What does the P-wave represent?
depolarization (contraction) of atria
normal duration=0.12 seconds
What does the QRS complex represent?
depolarization (contraction) of the ventricles
normal duration=0.12 seconds
What does a normal QRS complex look like on an ECG?
narrow
should happen in a short period of time
ventricle is wired via Purkinje fibers and Bundle of His, thus allowing for ventricle to contract all at one time
What does the QT interval represent?
time from Q to T
=time it takes from ventricular contraction to ventricular repolarization (full cycle)
What could a wide QRS complex be a sign of?
sign that ventricular impulse did not originate from the AV node
could be okay, but eventually can lead to ventricular fibrillation
What does does a prolonged QT interval represent?
prolonging means it takes longer to repolarize and some cells dont depolarize at the right time
=takes longer to recharge between beats
What does the T-wave represent?
ventricular repolarization
What does the PR interval represent?
AV node conduction
long PR=AV node block
True or false: Canadian guidelines recognizes pharmacy blood pressure machines
false
What approach to assess blood pressure is considered the gold standard?
ambulatory blood pressure monitor
-wearing a cuff for 24hrs
-takes bp every 30 mins
-shows a full 24 hour series of measurements
List off each approach to assess blood pressure and the values that are considered high with each approach.
automated office blood pressure:
-mean SBP>135mmHg or DBP>85mmHg is high
office blood pressure monitoring:
-mean SBP 130-139mmHg or mean DBP 85-89 mmHg is high-
normal
-mean SBP >140mmHg or DBP>90mmHg is high
ambulatory blood pressure monitor:
-mean awake SBP>135mmHg or DBP>85mmHg or mean 24-
hour SBP>130mmHg or DBP>80mmHg are high
home blood pressure monitor:
-mean SBP>135mmHg or DBP>85mmHg are high and
associated with an increased overall mortality risk
What is the role of pharmacy blood pressure monitors?
they should serve as screening tools only
they have not been evaluated for their association with clinical outcomes