A model of heart contractility for conditions of stress

Mathematical modeling has become an important tool in research disciplines that defy traditional laboratory experimentation. The study of the human heart is ideally suited for this approach. This paper develops a model of heart contractility for conditions of stress, formulated from a mathematical and physiological background, which is incorporated into a proven cardiovascular model. The combined model simulates the transient and steady-state response to exercise and is in good agreement with published experimental data. Also, when compared with previous work, the present model provides much improved fidelity in the response of important cardiac variables to exercise.