Myocardial contractility
Myocardial Contractility
Myocardial contractility (pronounced: my-o-car-dee-al con-trac-ti-li-ty) refers to the heart's ability to contract and generate force to pump blood throughout the body. It is a key factor in the overall function of the heart and cardiovascular system.
Etymology
The term "myocardial contractility" is derived from three words. "Myo" is a prefix from the Greek word "myos" meaning muscle, "cardial" comes from the Greek "kardia" meaning heart, and "contractility" originates from the Latin "contractus" which means to draw together.
Definition
Myocardial contractility is the inherent capacity of the heart muscle, specifically the myocardium, to contract and change its force of contraction without changing its resting length. This property allows the heart to adjust the force of its contractions and thus control the volume of blood ejected.
Factors Affecting Myocardial Contractility
Several factors can affect myocardial contractility, including:
- Heart rate: An increase in heart rate can increase myocardial contractility.
- Neurohormonal activation: Certain hormones and neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and epinephrine, can increase myocardial contractility.
- Calcium levels: Calcium plays a crucial role in the contraction of heart muscle cells. Increased levels of calcium can enhance myocardial contractility.
- Oxygen supply: Adequate oxygen supply is essential for the heart muscle to contract effectively. Reduced oxygen supply can decrease myocardial contractility.
Related Terms
- Inotropic: A term used to describe the effect on the force of contraction of the heart muscle.
- Chronotropic: A term used to describe the effect on the heart rate.
- Dromotropic: A term used to describe the effect on the conduction speed in the AV node, and subsequently the rate of electrical impulses in the heart.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Myocardial contractility
- Wikipedia's article - Myocardial contractility
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