Frank-Starling Curve

Abstract

The Frank-Starling mechanism describes a relationship where increasing ventricular filling increases cardiac output. Increased preload increases sarcomere stretch inside cardiac myocytes which generate more force during contraction and thereby allows the heart to eject more blood. However, there is a limit to which this relationship can be maintained. In failing ventricles, overstretch can limit or decrease cardiac output. In these cases, reducing myocyte stretch to a more optimal length can improve overall cardiac function.