Guided Learning: Cardiac Electrophysiology

Guided learning questions provide a systematic approach to learning by using a sequencing of the questions similar to how a topic would unfold in a traditional textbook. The student is encouraged to go not only to the initial link associated with each tutorial question, but also to use embedded hyperlinks to expand upon the physiological concepts associated with the question.

At the end of the guided learning questions, there is a link to an external website (testmoz.com) that has multiple choice and true/false questions that are associated with the topic. When the quiz results are given to the user after taking the quiz, links are provided back to specific cvphysiology.com pages to assist learning. Users need to register (free) on the testmoz.com site to access the quiz questions for the tutorial. No personal information is available to cvphysiology.com apart from the user provided login name and analysis of user performance on the quiz questions. This feedback is used to improve cvphysiology.com content and quiz questions.

Guided Learning

1. What are the normal concentrations of sodium, potassium, and calcium ions inside and outside a cardiac myocyte?
2. What is the Nernst potential? What is an equilibrium potential?
3. How does changing the concentrations of sodium, potassium, and calcium ions inside and outside the cell affect the resting membrane potential in cardiac cells?
4. What is the role of the sarcolemmal Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase in the generation and maintenance of cardiac membrane potentials?
5. How are calcium gradients maintained across the cardiac cell membrane?
6. What are ion channels, and what controls their opening and closing?
7. How do changes in the relative ionic conductance of sodium, potassium, and calcium ions influence the membrane potential?
8. How are cardiac action potentials different from those found in nerve cells?
9. What ionic currents are responsible for non-pacemaker action potentials?
10. What is the effective refractory period (ERP) for an action potential, and what can cause it to lengthen or shorten?
11. What ionic currents are responsible for pacemaker action potentials?
12. What controls the normal rhythm of the heart?
13. How do autonomic nerves, circulating catecholamines, extracellular potassium concentrations, thyroid hormone, and hypoxia alter pacemaker activity?
14. What is the normal sequence and pathways for depolarization within the heart?
15. How do autonomic nerves, circulating catecholamines, cellular hypoxia, and drugs blocking sodium and calcium channels alter conduction velocity within the heart?

Link to Quiz Questions: testmoz.com/2479829

Revised 10/06/2023