The effect of ischaemic region shape on epicardial potential distributions in transient models of cardiac tissue

Abstract

Previous work on ischaemia during the ST segment has shown that the shape of the ischaemic region can signi cantly a ect the epicar- dial potential distribution at the surface of the heart. This numerical study compares the results from the steady state simulations with a more realistic transient model. The model consists of a slab of ven- tricular tissue with an ischaemic region at the centre resting on a blood bath. The transient bidomain equations were solved using a nite volume method for the spatial discretisation and a semi-implicit method for the time integration. Ischaemia is included by taking into account three of the main physiological consequences which include hyperkalaemia, acidosis and anoxia. Results are obtained for three dif- ferent ischaemic region geometries (rectangular, cylindrical and semi- ellipsoidal).