Cardioversion: Electrical System of the Heart

Picture of the heart's electrical system

In the normal heart, electrical impulses pace the rhythm at which the heart contracts and relaxes. The sinoatrial (SA) node triggers the electrical impulse, causing the upper chambers (atria) to contract. The signal travels through the atrioventricular (AV) node to the atrioventricular bundle, which divides into the Purkinje fibers that carry the signal and cause the lower chambers (ventricles) to contract. The electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) tracing above reflects this normal electrical activity.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerJohn M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology
Last RevisedNovember 2, 2010
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: November 2, 2010
Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology

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