What is the firing rate of Perkinje fibers?

Perkinje fibers are specialized conductive fibers located in the heart, specifically found within the inner ventricular walls of the heart, and play a critical role in the electrical conduction system. These fibers are responsible for conducting impulses that stimulate the heart muscle to contract.

The normal firing rate of Perkinje fibers can be around 20-40 beats per minute (bpm). When other pacemakers in the heart, such as the sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node, fail or become ineffective, the Perkinje fibers can take over as the heart's pacemaker. However, their intrinsic firing rate is slower compared to the primary pacemaker, which is the sinoatrial node, typically set at 60-100 bpm.

Understanding the firing rate of Perkinje fibers is essential for recognizing how the heart compensates in the case of conduction system failure. The specific range of 20-40 bpm reflects the role these fibers play in maintaining a baseline heart rhythm in the absence of faster impulses from the primary pacemaker.