Normal sinus rhythm
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Normal sinus rhythm
The normal sinus rhythm is the rate of impulses generated by certain muscle cells as a signal to the upper heart chambers (atria) to contract.
The heart contains a cluster of specialized muscle cells that act as the heart's natural pacemaker. This cluster is called the sinoatrial node, or SA node. The SA node generates the electrical signals that cause the upper heart chambers (atria) to contract. At rest, the SA node normally sends 60 to 100 impulses per minute (the normal sinus rhythm).
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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