Teaching physiology through simulation of hemodynamics

A user-friendly interface to a mathematical model for teaching cardiovascular physiology is developed. The underlying model, a lumped-parameter approximation of cardiovascular hemodynamics and control, `comes to life´ in this real-time simulation. Students interact with the model through the X Window System interface, using the mouse to create continuously updating, realistic graphs of blood pressure, volume, or flow for any of the compartments. Students perform experiments on a `virtual patient´ in order to understand the intrinsic properties of the system as it responds dynamically to normal stresses and pathological insults. Instructors may set up patient cases with simulated diseases and ask students to examine the hemodynamics in order to make a diagnosis. Using this program, students are able to explore the function of the cardiovascular system in greater depth than would be possible through conventional teaching methods