PHS 3302 – LAB EXERCISE 11 – CARDIAC PHYSIOLOGY

You will need:

1. Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual, Custom Edition Package for St. John's
University, 2017.
2. Lab Guide – Laboratory Exercise #11 printout.
3. Full length white lab coat.
4. Laptop compatible with PhysioEx simulation exercises.

Pre Lab Assignment:

Read the lab guide and familiarize yourself with the exercises that will be performed today.

You will be provided:

1. A BioPac MP35 unit and its accessories (see each exercise for precise equipment).

Experiment 1 -Plethysmograph
To measure the pulse, follow the directions in Exercise 33A, Activity 2, Palpating Superficial,
pg. 499 and Activity 3, Measuring Pulse Using Biopac®, pg. 500-501. You will be provided:

 Biopac MP35 unit with power cord.

 Laptop with power cord and mouse.
 Pulse transducer- Pulse plethysmogram, SS4L(A).

Blood pressure
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure the blood exerts against any unit area of the blood
vessel walls, and it is generally measured in the arteries. The heart alternately contracts and relaxes,
which results in the rhythmic flow of blood into the arteries; this causes the blood pressure to rise and
fall during each beat.
When measuring blood pressure, there are two readings: systolic pressure, which is the
pressure in the arteries at the peak of ventricular ejection and diastolic pressure, which is the pressure
during ventricular relaxation. Blood pressures are recorded and reported as a fraction and the units are
mm Hg (millimeters of Mercury). The numerator is the systolic pressure and the denominator is the
diastolic pressure.

Experiment 2. Blood pressure

Follow the directions in Exercise 33A, Activity 5, Using a Sphygmomanometer to Measure
Arterial Blood Pressure Indirectly, pg. 498-499. You will be provided:

 Sphygmomanometer.
 Stethoscope.
 Alcohol.
Electrical Conduction

Cardiac muscles allow the heart to contract and relax in order to circulate blood. At the micro-
scale level, a resting potential is present along the cardiac muscle. Rapid depolarization occurs due to
the fast influx of Sodium ions (Na+) until the action potential is reached; muscle fibers that reach the
action potential will contract and Na+ influx ends. The membrane potential increases to +30 mV from
its resting potential of -90 mV. Calcium ions (Ca2+) then slowly influxes and very little Potassium
ions (K+) efflux in this plateau stage and the fibers are contracting at full tension. Finally, Ca2+ influx
ends and K+ efflux begins leading to the repolarization of the membrane potential and muscle fibers
will relax. The membrane potential will then return to its resting state at -90 mV.

Experiment 3. Electrocardiography

Follow the directions in Exercise 31, Activity 1B, Electrocardiography Using Biopac®, pg. 464-
468. You will be provided:

 Biopac MP35 unit with power cord.

 Laptop with power cord and mouse.
 Three electrodes.
 Electrode lead set- Lead set, shielded, SS2LB.
Experiment 4 – Virtual Simulation
To better understand the mechanisms of the cardiac muscle contraction, run the PhysioEx simulation
and Perform Exercise 6, Cardiovascular Physiology, Activities 1, 3, 4, and 5 on pages PEx93 to PEx-
101.

P to R - Time from atrial to

P - atrial depolarization ventricular depolarization
R – ventricular depolarization
Q – atrial repolarization
S – downward deflection of ventricular depolarization S to T -Time
T – ventricular repolarization for ventricular
contraction

The Purkinje System is at work during the QRS complex

The most sensitive indication of heart problems is the S to T time interval. A heart rate of over
100beats/min is referred to as Tachycardia; a rate below 60beats/min is Bradycardia. Fibrillation is
a condition of rapid uncoordinated heart contractions which makes the heart useless as a pump.

Attention is usually focused on the amount of depolarization.

• Large P wave indicates enlargement of an atrium
• Enlarged Q wave indicates myocardial infarction
• Enlarged R wave indicates enlarged ventricles,
• Large QRS complex indicates an enlarged heart, smaller would mean the mass of muscle has
decreased
• Elevation of T wave indicated hyperkalemia while flatter T wave than normal indicate
insufficient oxygen compared to coronary artery disease
• QT elongation represents myocardial ischemia.