Abstract
The spontaneous, rhythmic generation of APs in the intrinsic pacemaker centers of the heart is the basis of the autonomous heartbeat rhythm [6]. Normally, the heartbeat is initiated in the SA node. The AP generated propagates from one muscle cell to the next until it has spread over the entire atrial wall and reached the AV node at the boundary between the atrium and the ventricle. Because of the low conduction velocity in the AV node, there is a delay in transmission of the wave of excitation to the ventricles that allows the atrial contraction to be completed before contraction of the ventricles begins (Figure 10). From the AV node, the excitation passes along the His bundle through the atrioventricular boundary.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schaldach, M. (1992). Physiology of the Heartbeat. In: Electrotherapy of the Heart. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-50209-5_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-50209-5_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-50211-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-50209-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive