Hemodynamic effects of infarct location in left ventricular wall based on an integrated finite element and circulatory model

An integrated finite element and circulatory model was developed and used to assess the differential impact of infarct location on left ventricular hemodynamics. In this study a finite element model of the left ventricle (LV) was fully integrated with an electrical analog model of the circulatory system. The model was capable of generating pressure and volume waveforms that are consistent with the clinical observations. Simulations based on this model determined the hemodynamic effects of an infarction located near the base, mid-wall, or apex of the LV. Infarction near the apex showed lesser effects than infarctions near the base or the mid-wall. Infarctions near the base and mid-wall showed similar effects. The decrease in ejection fraction was most sensitive to infarction near the base, while the increase in end-systolic volume and end-diastolic volume was most sensitive to infarction near the mid-wall