Open AccessComputationally efficient model of myocardial electromechanics for multiscale simulations
Author(s) -
F. A. Syomin,
Anna Osepyan,
Andrey K. Tsaturyan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0255027
Subject(s) - electromechanics , cardiac electrophysiology , amplitude , mechanics , physics , contraction (grammar) , interstimulus interval , stiffness , biomedical engineering , electrophysiology , stimulation , medicine , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
A model of myocardial electromechanics is suggested. It combines modified and simplified versions of previously published models of cardiac electrophysiology, excitation-contraction coupling, and mechanics. The mechano-calcium and mechano-electrical feedbacks, including the strain-dependence of the propagation velocity of the action potential, are also accounted for. The model reproduces changes in the twitch amplitude and Ca 2+ -transients upon changes in muscle strain including the slow response. The model also reproduces the Bowditch effect and changes in the twitch amplitude and duration upon changes in the interstimulus interval, including accelerated relaxation at high stimulation frequency. Special efforts were taken to reduce the stiffness of the differential equations of the model. As a result, the equations can be integrated numerically with a relatively high time step making the model suitable for multiscale simulation of the human heart and allowing one to study the impact of myocardial mechanics on arrhythmias.