Simulation of normal cardiovascular system and severe aortic stenosis using equivalent electronic model

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Analog Circuit Design

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases pose significant health risks, with severe aortic stenosis being a critical cause of sudden death.
• Accurate simulation models are crucial for understanding cardiovascular dynamics and disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement an analog circuit model of the cardiovascular system.
• To simulate normal cardiovascular function and specific diseases, with a focus on severe aortic stenosis.
• To investigate the physiological changes associated with severe aortic stenosis using the developed model.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Westkessel model with RLC pi-segments for systemic and pulmonary circulation simulation.
• Represented the left and right heart using trapezoidal stiffnesses and incorporated nonlinear aortic capacitance and valve characteristics.
• Implemented severe aortic stenosis by modifying the serial resistance of the aortic valve, with MATLAB used for model implementation.

Main Results:

• The analog circuit model accurately replicated normal cardiovascular physiology.
• Simulations of severe aortic stenosis revealed significant increases in left ventricle systolic pressure and aortic mean pressure gradient.
• A decrease in aortic systolic blood pressure was observed during simulated severe aortic stenosis.

Conclusions:

• The developed analog circuit model is effective for simulating normal cardiac conditions.
• The model provides a valuable tool for investigating cardiovascular diseases, particularly severe aortic stenosis.
• This simulation approach aids in understanding the complex hemodynamic changes associated with severe aortic stenosis.