Mechanisms of cardiac impulse propagation and arrhythmogenesis

Cardiac impulse propagation is determined by complex interactions between electrical activity of myocardiocytes, intercellular electrical communication and the myocardial tissue structure. A special form of conduction that underlies cardiac arrhythmias, including tachycardia and fibrillation, involves circulating excitation, spiral wave reentry. In this type of impulse propagation, curvature of the propagating excitation wavefront plays additional important roles. This brief review describes results from mathematical simulations and animal experiments to define mechanisms of normal and abnormal impulse conduction in the heart. © 2015, Japan Soc. of Med. Electronics and Biol. Engineering. All rights reserved.