Tachyarrhythmia thresholds in a three-dimensional computer model of a heart

Matthew G. Fishler, Rose A. Province, Nitish V. Thakor

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A three-dimensional computer model of the ventricles of a heart is used to study induction of fibrillation under both healthy and ischemic conditions. In these simulations, fibrillation was initiated by administering multiple premature stimuli to an ectopic site on the heart, and ischemia was modeled as a regional reduction in conduction velocities. For the healthy heart, a well-defined 17-msec 'window of vulnerability' was located completely within the ectopic site's relative refractory period. This cardiac model indicates that a localized reduction in conduction velocities influences the heart's vulnerability to ectopic stimuli through two separate mechanisms: (a) it decreases the thresholds required to achieve fibrillation, and (b) it increases the fraction of the cardiac cycle susceptible to these stimuli, thereby increasing the probability that randomly timed stimuli will initiate fibrillation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationComputers in Cardiology
PublisherPubl by IEEE
Pages357-360
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)0818622253
StatePublished - May 1991
EventComputers in Cardiology - Proceedings - Chicago, IL, USA
Duration: Sep 23 1990Sep 26 1990

Publication series

NameComputers in Cardiology
ISSN (Print)0276-6574

Other

OtherComputers in Cardiology - Proceedings
CityChicago, IL, USA
Period9/23/909/26/90

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Tachyarrhythmia thresholds in a three-dimensional computer model of a heart'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this