Heart - patho

A composite recording of all the action potential produced by nodes, cells. and signals of the myocardium. Each wave or segment corresponds to a certain event of the cardiac cycle.

P Wave- When the atrium fills of blood, SA node fire, the electrical signals spread throughout the atria causing them to depolarize.

PQ Segment- represents the time the signal travels from the SA node to the Av node

QRS Complex- Marks the firing of the Av node and represents ventricular depolarization

Q Wave- Corresponds to depolarization of the interventricular septum

R Wave- Depolarization of the main mass of the ventricles

S- Wave last phase of the ventricular depolarization at the base of the heart

Atrial repolarization also occurs at this time, but the signal is obscured by the large QRS Complex.

ST Segment- Reflects the plateau in the myocardial action potential. When the ventricles contract and pump blood.

T Wave- Represents ventricular repolarization

The cycle repeats itself with every heartbeat

contractility: The ability of the muscle cells to shorten/ contract

Elasticity: The ability of the heart resuming its shape after being stretched

Congestive heart failure leads to edema: this man’s swelling caused by excess fluid in the tissues