Progress of Conductivity and Conduction Velocity Measured in Human and Animal Hearts.

Abstract

Cardiac conduction velocity (CV) is a critical electrophysiological characteristic of the myocardium, representing the speed at which electrical pulses propagate through cardiac tissue. It can be delineated into longitudinal, transverse, and normal components in the myocardium. The CV and its anisotropy ratio are crucial to both normal electrical conduction and myocardial contraction, as well as pathological conditions where it increases the risk of conduction block and reentry. This comprehensive review synthesizes longitudinal and transverse CV values from clinical and experimental studies of human infarct hearts, including findings from the isthmus and outer loop, alongside data derived from animal models. Additionally, we explore the anisotropic ratio of conductivities assessed through both animal and computational models. The review culminates with a synthesis of scientific evidence that guides the selection of CV and its corresponding conductivity in cardiac modeling, particularly emphasizing its application in patient-specific cardiac arrhythmia modeling.