Author(s)

A. Redaelli, F. Inzoli, R. Pietrabissa & P.M. Montevecchi

Abstract

Evaluation of intraventricular pressure gradients during systole: a numerical study A. Redaelli, F. Inzoli, R. Pietrabissa & P.M. Montevecchi Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy 1 Introduction The impulsive nature of the blood flow during systole suggests that the intraventricular pressure gradient (IPG), needed to accelerate the blood, could influence significantly the ventricular wall performance. Experimental evidences by Pasiparidopulos ' have pointed out that during early systole the intraventricular pressure drop (IPD) grows up to 10 mmrig at rest and 20 mmHg during exercise. On the other hand the IPG is determined by the wall motion which depends on the ventricular wall geometry, hierarchic structural organisation and inotropic state of its subcomponents. Hence we are dealing with a strongly coupled problem involving both ventricular wall mechanics and intraventricular blood fluid-dynamics and where each domain forces the boundary c

Keywords