Analysis of the Influence of the Electrical Asynchrony on Regional Mechanics of the Infarcted Left Ventricle Using Electromechanical Heart Models

Abstract

Asynchronous electrical activation, as induced by myocardial infarction, causes various abnormalities in left ventricle function. The influence of the electrical asynchrony on regional mechanics of the left ventricle is simulated using a mechanical heart model and an electrical heart model. The mechanical model accounts for the ventricular geometry, the fiber nature of the myocardial tissue, and the dependency of the activation sequence of the ventricular wall. The electrical model is based on a heart-torso model with realistic geometry, and different action potential waveforms with variables in duration are used to simulate the abnormal electrical activation after myocardial infarction. Regional deformation, strain and stress are calculated during systole phase. The preliminary results show that asynchronous electrical activation, as an important factor, significantly affects regional mechanical performance of the infarcted left ventricle, it indicates heterogeneous contraction pattern and elevated systolic stresses near the injured region. The simulated results are compared with solutions obtained in the literature. This simulation suggests that such coupled heart models can be used to assess the mechanical function of the left ventricle with diseases such as myocardial infarction, and more realistic models of cardiac function are essential for clinical evaluation of heart disease.