Pumped Up: A Review of Adrenaline and the Heart
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2905Keywords:
Adrenaline, Funny Current, Fight-or-Flight, Electrophysiology, Calcium Channels, Cardiac MuscleAbstract
The fight-or-flight response is commonly seen as an animal’s immediate response to danger, causing a wide variety of physiological changes. Cardiac muscles contract more forcefully and quickly in the fight-or-flight response, and the mechanisms responsible for this shift in response mostly involve ion channels and electrical impulses in the heart. This paper will review these electrical mechanisms, primarily caused by adrenaline's effect on calcium ion channels, preexisting cardiac rhythms, and cardiac muscle tissue itself. A basic history of research involving said effects to better understand the interactions between adrenaline, calcium ion channels, and the cardiac muscles. This history includes the discovery of the funny current, advancements in understanding adrenaline's effects on the heart, and the expanding knowledge of adrenaline's molecular pathway in cardiac tissue. This review will also detail several medical applications of this understanding, including in cases of atrial fibrillation and genetic arrhythmias, and explore treatments such as beta-blockers or Ivabradine that relate to adrenaline's molecular pathway. Further research in this field that involves the molecular interaction of adrenaline with other pathways within cardiac muscle will be explored as well, hopefully to the benefit of those who suffer from cardiac disease. Ultimately, this review aims to analyze the applications of this research, its medical implications, and current research in the field of adrenaline to further our understanding of the cardiac fight-or-flight response.
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