Effect of cardiac ventricular mechanical contraction on the characteristics of the ECG: A simulation study

Abstract

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most widely-used tool for the detection and diagnosis of cardiac conditions including myocardial infarction and ischemia. It has therefore been a focus of cardiac modeling. However, the most contemporary in silico ECG investigations of the intact heart have assumed a static heart and ignored the mechanical contraction that is an essential component of cardiac function. The aim of this study was to utilize electromechanically coupled human ventricle models to explore the consequences of ventricular mechanical contraction on the ECG profiles.