Pediatric cardiovascular physiology

Abstract

Cardiac physiology is an underlying mechanism of the cardiovascular system which works in a beat-to-beat manner, especially in patients with congenital heart diseases. With the development of cellular and molecular medicine, this field has improved a lot. In this chapter, after an introductory discussion about evolutional transition in cardiac physiology from fetal to neonatal, childhood, and adulthood, the myocardial function has been presented with its three main ingredients: electrical function of the myocardium, excitation-contraction coupling, and mechanical function of the myocardium. Control mechanisms of cardiac function including receptors, signals, and neurohormonal pathways are among the most important controlling mechanisms in the cardiovascular system and are described afterward.Developmental changes in fetal cardiac muscle are mandatory for anyone who wants to work with patients having congenital heart disease.Cardiac work includes the normal sequences in cardiac cycle, the Frank-Starling relationship, and the factors involved in cardiac work which are described next. And finally, the cardiac reflexes are described which are another main controller of cardiovascular physiologic response.