[A quantitative analysis of atrioventricular conduction in the dog heart]

In acute experiments on dogs, refractory period of atria and atrio-ventricular conductive system (AVCS), as well as the extent of atrio-ventricular delay at different time intervals between electrical stimuli applied to the atrium myocardium, were studied. On decrease of the time intervals, the atria refractory period becomes shorter while that of the AVCS increases. The value of the AVCS effective refractory period, at that, coincides with the delay extent of atrio-ventricular conduction. At long intervals between the atria stimuli, the atria refractory period, that of the AVCS, and the atrio-ventricular delays are all equal. The obtained quantitative characteristics of atrio-ventricular conduction are used for checking the previously proposed mathematical model of disturbances of the ventricles rhythm on fast electric activity of the atria.