Heart failure - Electrical remodelling in heart failure

15 important questions on Heart failure - Electrical remodelling in heart failure

What is the effect of fibrosis of the heart?

Abnormalities in electrical impulse generation and propagation. Electrical impulses will go the wrong way

How do cardiac cells transmit signals?

Through their intercalated discs (gap junctions)
The gap junctions (connexions) and ion channels are affected in heart failure

What is necessary to generate and conduct the electrical signal through the heart?

Ion channels for the AP generation through excitation and propagation (conduction) via the connexins (gap junctions)
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What is the order in cardiac conduction?

1. SA node initiates an AP
2. Conducted throught the atria
3. Arrives at AV node (delayed)
4. Bundle of His
5. Left and right bundle branch
6. Purkinje fibers

Which ion channels are involved in AP generation in the heart?

Voltage-gated channels
ligand-gated channels (extracellular and intracellular)
Mechanically gated

What happens to the anisotropic progagation in heart failure

You lose this capacity (velocity in both planes is the same) and instead of an eclipse that follows the gap junctions, it is a circle

Which ion channels are active during the different phases of AP in the heart?

Phase 4 = potassium rectifier channels keep resting membrane potential constant
phase 0 = rapid Na+ influx through the fast opening Na channels
phase 1 = transient K+ channels open and potential decreases (first repolarization)
phase 2 = influx of Ca2+ through L type calcium channels and K+ efflux by delayed rectifier K+ channels
phase 3 = second repolarisation, Ca2+ channels close but delayed K+ channels remain open and membrane potential returns to -90 mV

What is the structure of gap junctions?

6 connexin molecules form 1 connexon. Two connexons from different cells interact to form a gap junction

What is anisotropic conduction?

Differences in the velocity of conduction related to the direction of propagation relative to the orientation of muscle fibers

-> CV in longitudinal direction is faster than in perpendicular/transverse direction

What is the molecular mechanism of early afterdepolarization (EAD)?

Increased CaMKII activity leads to an increased L-type Ca2+ current and persistent Na+ current both increasing action potential duration (APD). Decreased K+ currents also lead to a decrease in AP repolarization and an increase in APD. The resulting APD prolongation increases the risk of phase 2 reentry → EAD. The EAD can induce a Triggered Action Potential (TAP) when passing a specific voltage threshold.

Which ion channels are involved in EAD?

L-type calcium channel (increased current inwards)
Late sodium channel (increased current inwards)
K+ channels (decreased outward current) - IKs, IKr, IKur

What is the molecular mechanism of DAD?

Increased CaMKII activity leads to an increased RYR2 open probability causing an increase in diastolic [Ca2+]. This triggers forward mode activity of the NCX1 exchanger leading to Ca2+ efflux. The export of one Ca2+ ion is accompanied by the import of three Na+ ions → Inward transient NCX current leading to a DAD. The DAD can induce a Triggered Action Potential (TAP) when passing a specific voltage threshold.

What are the two modes of the NCX exchanger?

Reverse = calcium in and 3 Na out
Forward = Ca out and 3 Na in

Which ion channels are involved in delayed afterdepolarizations (DAD)?

RyR2
NCX

What is an anti-arrhythmic treatment?

Calcium channel blockers

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