The effects of hypervolemia on cardiac function. A computer simulation

Abstract

A computer cardiovascular model has been developed to study the relationship between the cardiac function and the blood volume mathematically. Simulation results demonstrate that the quantity of the least blood volume, which is needed to maintain proper arterial blood pressures, depends heavily upon the degree of deterioration in heart failure. These results are in agreement with the clinical data and results reported in the literature. Simulation also suggests that a tradeoff might exist between cardiac energy consumption and cardiac material requirement during chronic heart failure compensation.