A 3D multi-scale cardiac electromechanical model for the investigation of Heart Failure
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According to the WHO, heart failure is the third leading cause of death in cardiovascular diseases in developed countries. This study aims to investigate by computer simulation the electromechanical changes produced in the failing heart with a 3D biventricular model. An electromechanical model is obtained by coupling action potential and force of contraction in ventricular myocytes, using myocyte calcium-depentent models (Land, 2017). Strongly coupled electromechanics with orthotropic passive mechanical behaviour (Holzapfel, 2009) is used at the tissue level. In order to asses the effects on the contractility of the ventricular functions due to the electrical remodelling of heart failure by modifying some ionic channels, we present a 0D closed-loop model coupled with the 3D biventricular electromechanical model that allow us to perform the simulation under physiological conditions and analize the results according to relevant mechanical biomarkers. As a result of this study, we have observed an increase in the duration of the action potential, a decrease in the amplitude and duration of the calcium transient and a reduction in the peak force, hence causing also a significantly smaller contraction, in comparison with the pathological case.
