What is Carotid Sinus?

The internal carotid artery originates at the common carotid artery's bifurcation and a localized dilation at this point is what is called the carotid sinus. Its main function is to act as a sampling area through a large number of baroreceptors for homeostatic mechanism to maintain blood pressure. A particular nerve of the sinus called Hering innervates the baroreceptors in the carotid sinus. This sinus sometimes gets atherosclerotic plaques. This is caused by hemodynamics. Hemodynamics is the medical term used for low wall shear stress inducing flow reversal or recirculation.

Now what causes carotid sinus related diseases is nothing but these very plaques. If these plaques are large and therefore unstable, they make a person susceptible to ischemic strokes and also transient ischemic attacks.

To understand a bit more about what carotid sinus and human stimulation are related we need to look into what is what is carotid sinus reflex death. This is actually a disputed mechanism which is supposed to cause death through manual stimulation of the carotid sinus. this happens because strong very strong vagus nerve impulses are generated which leads to terminal cardiac arrest. This is supposedly the cause of death in cases of strangulation and hanging. However this is still controversial even though studies point out that if not the main or only cause but still this can be a very significant factor in death as it reduces both blood pressure and heart rate. This is more true in case of elderly people and people suffering from hypersensitivity of carotid sinus. The other life threatening effects produced by the hypersensitivity of carotid sinus besides heart attack are pulmonary embolism and stroke.

One very interesting fact, which comes handy in dealing with some of the problems, is what is called as carotid sinus hypersensitivity itself! It is oversensitive to manual stimulation and manual stimulation can effect substantial changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Massage is used many times in diagnosing carotid sinus syncope. This is also used differentiating between supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia. Though it is not as effective as pharmaceutical management is with adenosine or verapmil.

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What is Sinus Node? - A Detailed Description on What is Sinus Node

In proper term, what is sinus node? Sinus node generates electrical impulses and conducts them throughout the muscle of the heart, thereby making the heart to contract and push blood throughout the body. It is rudimentary to transmitting the blood throughout the system. It is otherwise called the pacemaker. The term sinus node was first coined in 967. It is situated in the upper chamber of the heart and electrical impulses are produced there. It is also called SA node in short. These signals move from each cell to reach the atrioventricular node (AV node). A group of cell is placed in the center of the heart between the atria and ventricles. From the AV node it passes to the ventricles along special fibers embedded in the walls.

Simply, it is cells residing in the atrium of the heart. The atrium is where the electrical impulses start. They perform diverse functions. It is the natural pacemaker of the heart which is intended to contract and expand for pumping blood into the arteries and Venacava. They conduct electrical impulse all over the muscular region of your heart.

A view of sinus node

In an overall view on what is sinus node. It is a quick atrial rhythm, but in a broader sense it includes sinusitis arrest, atrial fibrillation, exit blocks etc.

The automatic nervous system controls the blood pressure and triggers cardiac cycle. They can transmit message quickly, thereby increasing the heart rate twice the normal. This response is required during exercises to increase the heart beat to increase the need for oxygen.

So, what is sinus node dysfunction? It is called sinusitis, which means the cells are not functioning properly to conduct the heart rhythm. This disease is complicated and seldom occurs. The ratio is 3:5000.

So, if hereafter somebody asks you what is sinus node, do not get confused, explain that it is a pacemaker of the heart which helps in pumping blood to the arteries.

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