Current of injury

Current of injury is a term used in medicine and cardiology to describe the electrical activity that occurs in cardiac cells when they are injured. This phenomenon is often observed in conditions such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) and can be detected using an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Overview

The current of injury is the difference in electrical potential between the injured and uninjured areas of the heart. This difference is caused by changes in the membrane potential of the injured cells, which can affect the overall electrical activity of the heart.

Mechanism

When cardiac cells are injured, they become more permeable to ions, particularly sodium and potassium. This increased permeability leads to a change in the resting membrane potential of the cells, making them more positive than uninjured cells. This difference in potential creates an electrical current, known as the current of injury.

Clinical significance

The current of injury can have significant effects on the heart's electrical activity. It can cause changes in the ECG, such as ST segment elevation, which is a common sign of myocardial infarction. In addition, the current of injury can disrupt the normal rhythm of the heart, leading to arrhythmias.

Detection

The current of injury can be detected using an ECG. The ECG can show changes in the ST segment, which is the part of the ECG waveform that represents the period between ventricular depolarization and repolarization. ST segment elevation is a common sign of myocardial infarction and can indicate the presence of a current of injury.

Treatment

Treatment for the current of injury involves addressing the underlying cause of the cell injury. This may involve medications to restore normal ion balance in the cells, or procedures to repair or replace damaged heart tissue.

File:ECG of ST segment elevation.jpg

ECG showing ST segment elevation, a sign of myocardial infarction and current of injury.

See also

• Electrocardiography
• Myocardial infarction
• Cardiac arrhythmia