The paragraph below is a summary of a news article describin

The paragraph below is a summary of a news article describing a new research treatment Briefly explain the physiological rational for this treatment. Why is the AV node destroyed in this procedure? Why must a pacemaker be implanted? A new treatment for atrial fibrillation due to an excessively rapid rate at the SA node involves a high-voltage electrical pulse administered to the AV node to destroy autorhythmic cells. A ventricular pacemaker is then implanted in the patient?

Solution

a. Atrial fibrillation will affect the function of ventricles resulting in the destruction of auto rhythmic cells. The ventricles can\'t pump enough blood to supply enough oxygen to the brain. So the common technique of correcting ventricular fibrillation is to applying an electrical shock to the heart.

b. Destruction of AV node in the said procedure will prevent the rapid atrial signals from being passed to the ventricles. Rate of rapid atrial depolarization is dangerous because if it is too fast, then only some action potentials will start the contractions due to the refractory period of muscle. This can cause an arrhythmia.

c. Pacemaker is a small device which stimulates and maintains the rhythmicity of the arrested heart. Therefore a ventricular pacemaker is implanted so that the ventricles have an electrical signal telling them to contract at a suitable rate.