Premature atrial contraction the atrioventricular (AV) node, the signal is conducted both to the ventricle and back to the SA node where the signal began. Premature atrial contraction Premature atrial contractions (PACs), also known as atrial premature complexes (APC) or atrial premature beats (APB), are a common cardiac dysrhythmia characterized by premature heartbeats originating in the atria. While the sinoatrial node typically regulates the heartbeat during normal sinus rhythm, PACs occur when another region of the atria depolarizes before the sinoatrial node and thus triggers a premature heartbeat. The exact cause of PACs is unclear; while several predisposing conditions exist, PACs commonly occur
Sinoatrial node slowly). These channels allow a flow of calcium ions (Ca) into the cell, making the membrane potential more positive. Phase 0 This is the depolarisation phase. When the membrane potential reaches a threshold value (around -20 to -50 mV), it begins to rapidly depolarise (become more positive). This is mainly due to the flow of Ca through the L-type calcium channels, which are now fully open. During this stage the T-type calcium channels and HCN channels deactivate. Phase 3 This phase is the repolarisation phase. This occurs due to the inactivation of the L-type calcium channels (preventing the movement of