Fluid dynamics of heart valves during atrial fibrillation: a lumped parameter-based approach

TL;DR

This study uses a stochastic lumped-parameter model to analyze how atrial fibrillation affects heart valve fluid dynamics, revealing reduced ventricular efficiency without worsening atrial valve performance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to isolate AF effects on heart valves using a lumped-parameter model without valvular disease influence.

Findings

Ventricular efficiency significantly decreases during AF.

Atrial valves maintain their performance during AF.

Regurgitant volume is a key parameter for valve function.

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) consequences on the heart valve dynamics are usually studied along with a valvular disfunction or disease, since in medical monitoring the two pathologies are often concomitant. Aim of the present work is to study, through a stochastic lumped-parameter approach, the basic fluid dynamics variations of heart valves, when only paroxysmal AF is present with respect to the normal sinus rhythm (NSR) in absence of any valvular pathology. Among the most common parameters interpreting the valvular function, the most useful turns out to be the regurgitant volume. During AF both atrial valves do not seem to worsen their performance, while the ventricular efficiency is remarkably reduced.