Embedding a cardiac pulsatile model into an integrated model of the cardiovascular regulation for heart failure followup.

Abstract

The analysis of followup data from patients suffering from heart failure is a difficult task, due to the complex and multifactorial nature of this pathology. In this paper, we present a coupled model, integrating a pulsatile heart into a model of the short to long-term regulations of the cardiovascular system. An interface method is proposed to couple these models, which present significantly different time scales. Results from a sensitivity analysis of the original and integrated models are proposed with simulations reproducing the main effects of the short- and long-term responses of an acute decompensated heart failure episode on a patient undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy.