Spatiotemporal irregularities of spiral wave activity in isolated ventricular muscle.

TitleSpatiotemporal irregularities of spiral wave activity in isolated ventricular muscle.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1992
AuthorsDavidenko, JM, Pertsov, AV, Salomonsz, R, Baxter, B, Jalife, J
JournalJ Electrocardiol
Volume24 Suppl
Pagination113-22
Date Published1992
ISSN0022-0736
KeywordsAnimals, Cardiac Pacing, Artificial, Fluorescent Dyes, Heart Conduction System, Membrane Potentials, Optics and Photonics, Pericardium, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted, Tachycardia, Ventricular Function
Abstract

Voltage-sensitive dyes and high resolution optical mapping were used to analyze the characteristics of spiral waves of excitation in isolated ventricular myocardium. In addition, analytical techniques, which have been previously used in the study of the characteristics of spiral waves in chemical reactions, were applied to determine the voltage structure of the center of the rotating activity (ie, the core). During stable spiral wave activity local activation occurs in a periodic fashion (ie, 1:1 stimulus: response activation ratio) throughout the preparation, except at the core, which is a small elongated area where the activity is of low voltage and the activation ratio is 1:0. The voltage amplitude increases gradually from the center of the core to the periphery. In some cases, however, regular activation patterns at the periphery may coexist with irregular local activation patterns near the core. Such a spatiotemporal irregularity is attended by variations in the core size and shape and results from changes in the core position. The authors conclude that functionally determined reentrant activity in the heart may be the result of spiral waves of propagation and that local spatiotemporal irregularities in the activation pattern are the result of changes in the core position.

URLhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1552240
DOI10.1016/s0022-0736(10)80029-9
Alternate JournalJ Electrocardiol
PubMed ID1552240

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