The conducting system of the heart is a complex network of specialized cells that coordinate and regulate the heartbeat.
This system is responsible for ensuring that the heart beats rhythmically and efficiently, pumping blood throughout the body.
The main components of the heart's conducting system include the sinoatrial (SA) node, the atrioventricular (AV) node, the bundle of His, the left and right bundle branches, and the Purkinje fibers.
The SA node, located in the upper wall of the right atrium, acts as the heart's natural pacemaker. It generates electrical impulses that spread through the atria, causing them to contract and push blood into the ventricles.
The impulses then reach the AV node, located at the junction between the atria and ventricles. Here, the impulses are delayed slightly to allow the atria to contract fully before the ventricles begin to contract.
After passing through the AV node, the impulses travel down the bundle of His, a bundle of specialized fibers that runs along the septum (the wall between the ventricles) and divides into the left and right bundle branches.
The left and right bundle branches then branch out into the Purkinje fibers, which spread throughout the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump blood out of the heart.
This coordinated electrical activity of the heart is what produces a normal heartbeat. Any disruption in the conducting system can cause irregular heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, which can be harmful or even life-threatening.
