Cardiac action potential action potential (see phase 2, below) and is a fundamental step in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. There are important physiological differences between the cells that spontaneously generate the action potential (pacemaker cells; e.g. SAN) and those that simply conduct it (non-pacemaker cells; e.g. ventricular myocytes). The specific differences in the types of ion channels expressed and mechanisms by which they are activated results in differences in the configuration of the action potential waveform, as shown in figure 2. The standard model used to understand the cardiac action potential is that of the ventricular myocyte. Outlined below are the five phases of
Strain rate imaging Cardiac stress test), the regional dysfunction due to ischemia will become evident when the myocardial oxygen demand surpasses the Coronary flow reserve of a stenosed coronary artery. Strain rate imaging during stress has been shown to give incremental value over ordinary echocardiography, both diagnostic and prognostic. In stress echo, the increased heart rate has speckle tracking at a disadvantage, due to the limited frame rate that affects tracking at higher heart rates. In Left bundle branch block (LBBB), the asynchronous activation of the left ventricle gives asynchronous contraction as well. This asynchrony can be visualised by ordinary echocardiography. It can