Heart – Anterior View

2
Heart – Posterior View

3
 Intrinsic Cardiac Conduction System
Approximately 1% of cardiac muscle cells are autorhythmic rather than
contractile

75/min

40-60/min

30/min
 Intrinsic Conduction System
Function: initiate & distribute impulses so
heart depolarizes & contracts in orderly
manner from atria to ventricles.

SA node

AV node

Bundle of His

Bundle Branches

Purkinje fibers
 ECG Deflection Waves

(Pacemaker) Atrial repolarization

 ECG Deflection Waves
60 seconds ÷ 0.8 seconds = resting heart rate of 75 beats/minute

1st Degree Heart Block = P-Q

interval longer than 0.2
seconds.
 ECG Deflection Wave Irregularities

Enlarged QRS =

Hypertrophy of
ventricles
 ECG Deflection Wave Irregularities

Prolonged QT Interval
=

Repolarization
abnormalities increase
chances of ventricular
arrhythmias.
 ECG Deflection Wave Irregularities

Elevated T wave :

Hyperkalemia
 ECG Deflection Wave Irregularities

Flat T wave :

Hypokalemia or
ischemia
 Heart Blocks
P T

Normal ECG

QRS

Not a QRS for each P

2nd Degree Block wave

No P waves. Rate
determined by
3rd Degree Block autorhythmic cells in
ventricles
 Cardiac Cycle
• All events associated with a single heart beat
including atrial systole & diastole followed by
ventricular systole & diastole.
(V. Systole) (V. Diastole)

Systolic BP

Diastolic BP
 ECG Deflection Waves
60 seconds ÷ 0.8 seconds = resting heart rate of 75 beats/minute
 Frank Starling Law of the Heart
• The more cardiac muscle is stretched within
physiological limits, the more forcibly it will
contract.
• Rubber band analogy
• Increasing volumes of blood in ventricles
increase the stretch & thus the force
generated by ventricular wall contraction.
• Greater stretch means more blood volume
is pumped out, up to physical limits.
 Frank Starling Law of the Heart

Increased blood volume = increased stretch of Increased force to pump blood out.
myocardium
Cardiac Cycle
Cardiac Cycle: Valves
 Pulse
· Pulse –
pressure wave
of blood as it
passes
through an
artery
· Monitored at
“pressure
points” where
pulse is easily
palpated
Aberrant ECG patterns indicate damage
What do you think?