Cardiac Muscle Metabolism MCQ and Clinical Case

A. Clinical Case: Altered Cardiac Metabolism in Heart Failure

Patient Profile:

A 60-year-old male with a history of hypertension presents to the cardiology clinic with complaints of increasing fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in the ankles over the past few months.

Clinical Presentation:

• The patient appears fatigued and has difficulty breathing while lying flat (orthopnea).
• Physical examination reveals elevated jugular venous pressure and peripheral edema.
• Auscultation of the heart reveals the presence of a third heart sound (S3) and crackles in the lungs.

Diagnostic Workup:

• Echocardiography reveals left ventricular hypertrophy and reduced ejection fraction.
• Blood tests show elevated levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP).
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) indicates signs of left ventricular strain.

Metabolic Assessment:

• Blood glucose level: Normal
• Fasting lipid profile: Elevated triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
• Serum lactate: Elevated
• Blood pH: Slightly acidic

Interpretation and Diagnosis:

• The patient's clinical presentation, along with echocardiographic and laboratory findings, suggests heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
• Heart failure is characterized by impaired cardiac function, leading to inadequate pumping of blood and fluid retention.

Altered Cardiac Metabolism:

• In heart failure, the heart's ability to generate ATP through oxidative metabolism may be compromised.
• Reduced cardiac contractility leads to increased energy demand to maintain cardiac output, which cannot be met efficiently.
• As a result, the heart may rely more on glycolysis (anaerobic metabolism) for ATP production, leading to increased lactate levels and a slightly acidic blood pH.
• The impaired energy production contributes to fatigue and exercise intolerance observed in heart failure patients.

Impact on Lipid Metabolism:

• Elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood suggest dyslipidemia.
• Altered cardiac metabolism in heart failure may impact lipid metabolism, leading to abnormal lipid profiles.

Elevated BNP Levels:

• BNP is a hormone secreted by the heart in response to increased ventricular wall stress.
• Elevated BNP levels indicate cardiac dysfunction and increased workload on the heart.

B. Multiple Choice Question on Cardiac Muscle Metabolism

Question 1:

Which of the following metabolic processes primarily occurs in the mitochondria of cardiac muscle cells?

a) Glycolysis

b) Citric acid cycle (TCA cycle)

c) Beta-oxidation of fatty acids

d) Gluconeogenesis

Answer: b) Citric acid cycle (TCA cycle)

Explanation: The citric acid cycle (TCA cycle) takes place in the mitochondria and is a central metabolic pathway that generates reducing equivalents (NADH, FADH2) and ATP.

Question 2:

During periods of increased energy demand, cardiac muscle cells can switch from predominantly utilizing fatty acids to:

a) Ketone bodies

b) Glucose

c) Amino acids

d) Lactate

Answer: b) Glucose

Explanation: Cardiac muscle cells can switch to using glucose as an energy source during increased energy demand, such as exercise or stress.

Question 3:

Which of the following hormones promotes glucose uptake and utilization in cardiac muscle cells?

a) Insulin

b) Glucagon

c) Epinephrine

d) Cortisol

Answer: a) Insulin

Explanation: Insulin promotes glucose uptake and utilization in various tissues, including cardiac muscle cells.

Question 4:

Which enzyme is responsible for the conversion of fatty acids to acetyl-CoA during beta-oxidation in cardiac muscle?

a) Lactate dehydrogenase

b) Pyruvate carboxylase

c) Acetyl-CoA carboxylase

d) Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase

Answer: d) Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase

Explanation: Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase catalyzes the initial step of fatty acid beta-oxidation by converting fatty acids to acyl-CoA.

Question 5:

Which of the following processes occurs when cardiac muscle cells rely on anaerobic metabolism due to insufficient oxygen supply?

a) Glycolysis

b) Citric acid cycle (TCA cycle)

c) Beta-oxidation

d) Oxidative phosphorylation

Answer: a) Glycolysis

Explanation: Glycolysis is an anaerobic process that occurs when oxygen supply is insufficient for oxidative phosphorylation.

C. Brief Discussion on Cardiac Muscle Metabolism

Cardiac Muscle Metabolic Characteristics:

Cardiac muscle is a specialized type of muscle tissue found in the heart. It possesses unique metabolic characteristics that enable it to maintain the continuous, rhythmic contractions necessary for pumping blood throughout the body. Here are the key metabolic characteristics of cardiac muscle:

1. High Energy Demand:

• The heart has a high energy demand due to its constant and forceful contractions.
• About 70-90% of cardiac energy comes from fatty acid oxidation, making it the primary energy source.

2. Aerobic Metabolism:

• Cardiac muscle predominantly relies on aerobic metabolism to generate ATP.
• Aerobic processes occur in mitochondria, which are abundant in cardiac muscle cells.

Cardiac Muscle Metabolism:

The heart is a highly specialized organ that requires a constant supply of energy to maintain its rhythmic contractions and pump blood throughout the body. Cardiac muscle metabolism is designed to efficiently generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy molecule, to support the continuous and forceful contraction of the heart. Here's an overview of how cardiac muscle generates energy and maintains its function:

1. Energy Substrates:

• Cardiac muscle primarily utilizes fatty acids and glucose as energy substrates.
• Fatty acids are a rich source of energy due to their high energy content and abundant storage in adipose tissue.
• Glucose can be derived from dietary carbohydrates or glycogen stored in the liver.

2. Fatty Acid Oxidation:

• Fatty acids are the preferred source of energy for cardiac muscle under normal conditions.
• Fatty acid oxidation occurs in the mitochondria and involves a series of enzymatic reactions (beta-oxidation) that break down fatty acids into acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle (TCA cycle).

3. Glucose Utilization:

• Glucose can be taken up by cardiac muscle cells from the bloodstream.
• It is converted to pyruvate through glycolysis, and pyruvate enters the mitochondria to produce acetyl-CoA for the TCA cycle.

4. Oxygen Utilization:

• The TCA cycle and fatty acid oxidation are aerobic processes that require oxygen.
• Oxygen is delivered to cardiac muscle by the coronary circulation.
• Cardiac muscle has a high density of mitochondria to support aerobic metabolism.

5. ATP Production:

• The TCA cycle generates reducing equivalents (NADH and FADH2), which donate electrons to the electron transport chain (ETC) in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
• The ETC generates a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane, leading to the synthesis of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

6. Energetic Efficiency:

• Cardiac muscle is highly efficient in generating ATP.
• The energy yield from fatty acid oxidation is high due to the large number of ATP molecules produced per molecule of fatty acid.
• This efficient ATP production is critical for the heart's continuous pumping action.

7. Metabolic Flexibility:

• Cardiac muscle has metabolic flexibility, meaning it can switch between using fatty acids and glucose based on energy demands.
• During periods of increased demand, such as exercise or stress, glucose metabolism may increase to provide a rapid energy source.

8. Hormonal Regulation:

• Hormones like insulin and glucagon play a role in regulating cardiac metabolism.
• Insulin promotes glucose uptake and utilization by cardiac muscle cells.
• Glucagon stimulates fatty acid release from adipose tissue and fatty acid oxidation in the heart.

9. Heart Diseases and Metabolism:

• Heart diseases, such as heart failure, can impact cardiac metabolism.
• In heart failure, the heart's ability to generate ATP may be compromised, leading to energy depletion and contractile dysfunction.