Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal rhythm originating in the upper chambers of the heart afflicting 2–3 million people in the US alone and whose incidence rises with increasing age [1]. Due to the “graying of our population”, an estimated 12-16 million Americans will be affected by 2050 [2]. Not only is its incidence of epidemic proportions, its morbidity is also significant because of its association with increased risk of both thromboembolism and stroke [3].

The heartbeat under normal conditions is initiated by an electrical impulse that propagates diffusively through the heart and elevates the voltage at each cell, producing an action potential. The electrical waves that propagate, without damping, through the heart can exhibit complex dynamics and instabilities such as period-doubling bifurcations, alternans, two-dimensional spiral waves, three-dimensional scroll waves, and spatiotemporal turbulence (fibrillation) that can compromise the heart’s ability to contract and pump blood efficiently. Our long-term vision is to use MCAI 2.0 tools and techniques to support the development and validation of personalized, adaptive strategies that counteract life-threatening electrical disturbances of the heart such as atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrilation
Simulated idioventricular rhythm
Single pulse defibrilation
Multiple pulse defibrilation

CMACS-Arise workshop presentation

[1] Y. Miyasaka, M. Barnes, B. Gersh, S. Cha, and K. Bailey. Secular trends in incidence of atrial fibrillation in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1980 to 2000, and implications on the projections for future prevalence. Circulation, 114:119-125, 2006.

[2] V. Fuster, L. Ryden, D. Cannom, H. Crijns, and A. Curtis. ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation - executive summary: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on practice guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology committee for practice guidelines. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol, 48:854-906, 2006.

[3] R. G. Hart and J. L. Halperin. Atrial fibrillation and stroke: concepts and controversies. Stroke, 32:803-808, 2001.