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
Introduction to Cardiac Pressure-Volume Relationships The heart is often described as a pump, but this description doesn’t fully capture its complexity. To truly understand how the ventricles work, cardiologists rely on pressure-volume (PV) relationships. These curves provide a window into the interplay between pressure and volume during the cardiac cycle, revealing both systolic and diastolic … Read more
Introduction Cardiac function is a complex interplay of mechanical and biochemical factors. One of the key parameters in assessing diastolic function is the end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (EDPVR), which describes how ventricular pressure changes with volume at the end of diastole. This relationship is influenced by myocardial stiffness, loading conditions, and autonomic regulation, particularly the effect … Read more