Introduction to PV Loop Hemodynamics The study of PV Loop Hemodynamics: Chronic vs Acute Heart Failure helps doctors understand how the heart changes during different stages of disease. Pressure-volume loops give a visual picture of how much pressure the left ventricle produces and how much blood it holds during a heartbeat. Because the heart works … Read more
Introduction to Lusitropy and the PV Loop Relationship The Lusitropy PV Loop represents a fundamental connection between myocardial relaxation and the mechanical performance of the heart. While inotropy describes the strength of cardiac contraction, lusitropy defines the rate and efficiency of cardiac relaxation during diastole. Understanding this relationship is vital for evaluating heart function, especially … Read more
Introduction to Arterial Elastance (Ea) The cardiovascular system is a masterpiece of balance between the heart’s pumping power and the arteries’ ability to accommodate blood. One of the key parameters that defines this balance is Arterial Elastance (Ea). In simple terms, Ea represents the net arterial load faced by the left ventricle during ejection — … Read more
Introduction to Cardiac Physiology The human heart operates as a dynamic pump, adapting to constantly changing circulatory demands. At the core of this adaptability lies the pressure-volume relationship, which reflects how the ventricles fill and eject blood during each heartbeat. Among these relationships, two critical parameters — preload and the end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (EDPVR) — … Read more