Physiology Flashcards
1) Origin & conduction of cardiac impulse Cards 1-44 2) force generation by heat 45 - 96 3) cardiac cycle 97-130 4) control of arterial blood pressure 131-204 5) integration of cardiovascular mechanism 205-271 (269 cards)
how is the heart controlled?
electrically controlled
where are the electrical signals which control the heart generated?
from WITHIN the heart itself
what is auto-rhythmicity?
when the heart is capable of beating rhythmically in the ABSENCE OF EXTERNAL STIMULI
where does excitation of the heart originate from?
pacemaker cells in the SINO-ATRIAL NODE
where is the SA node located?
and where is it close to?
Located;
= upper right atrium
Close to;
= where the superior vena cava enters the right atrium
what sets the pace for the entire heart?
the SA node
what is sinus rhythm?
a heart controlled by SA node.
True or False.
Cells inn the SA node have a stable resting membrane potential?
FALSE.
they have NO stable resting membrane potential
what potential do pacemaker cells in the SA node generate?
spontaneous pacemaker potential
how is an action potential generated?
1) spontaneous pacemaker potential takes membrane potential to a threshold
2) each time threshold is reached, action potential is generated
True or False.
In pacemaker cells, permeability to K+ doesn’t remain constant between action potentials.
True
what is the pacemaker potential?
the slow DEPOLARISATION of a membrane potential to a threshold
what is the pacemaker potential due to? (3)
1) decrease in K+ efflux
2) Na+ & K+ influx
3) transient Ca2+ influx
what is the rising phase of the action potential known as?
depolarisation
what is the rising phase of the action potential (i.e. depolarisation) caused by?
= influx of Ca2+ (due to activation of long lasting L-type Ca2+ channels)
what is the falling phase of the action potential known as?
re-polarisation
what is the falling phase of the action potential caused by?
1) inactivation of L-type Ca2+ channels
2) activation of K+ channels, causing K+ efflux
how does cardiac excitation spread across the heart through cell-cell conduction?
via gap junctions
what is the route taken for excitation to spread to ventricles? (5)
1) SA node
2) AV node
3) bundle of His
4) Purkinje fibres
5) ventricles
what is the AV node comprised of?
small bundles of specialised cardiac cells
where is the AV node located?
at base of the right atrium just above atria & ventricles
where is the AV node the ONLY point of electrical contact between?
are AV node cells large and slow to conduct? true/false
between atria & ventricles.
False.
Small & slow to conduct
why is conduction delayed at AV node?
to allow atria systole (contraction) to precede ventricular systole
what does the resting membrane potential remain at until the cell is excited?
-90mV