200080.vtt 1.82 KB
WEBVTT


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A network of specialized muscle cells 

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is found in the heart's walls.



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These muscle cells send signals to


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the rest of the heart muscle 



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causing a contraction. 


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This group of muscle cells is 

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called the cardiac conduction system.

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The main parts of the system

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are the SA node, AV node, 



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bundle of His, bundle branches,


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and Purkinje fibers.

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Let's follow a signal 

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through the contraction process.


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The SA node starts the sequence by causing 


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the atrial muscles to contract.  

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That's why doctors 

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sometimes call it the anatomical pacemaker.



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Next, the signal travels to the AV node, 


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through the bundle of His, 

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down the bundle branches, 


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and through the Purkinje fibers,

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causing the ventricles to contract.


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This signal creates an electrical current that


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can be seen on a graph 

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called an electrocardiogram, or EKG.


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Doctors use an EKG to see how well 

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the cardiac conduction system works.



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Any changes on the EKG 


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can mean serious problems.