Cardiovascular simulation using a multiple modeling method on a digital computer--simulation of interaction between the cardiovascular system and angiotensin II.

A cardiovascular system model that simulates interactive responses to drugs has been developed on a small digital computer. The overall model basically consists of three models. The first is a momentum transport model that represents relations between blood pressure and flow in the cardiovascular system. In this model, the cardiovascular system is divided into 14 components and modeled by using equivalent electrical circuits. The second is a mass transport model comprising 14 compartments corresponding to the respective components of the cardiovascular system. This model represents the distribution of the administered drug in the various cardiovascular components. The third is an interaction model that represents the relationships between the momentum and mass transport models. This model causes variations in the resistance and capacitance parameters of the momentum transport model as a function of the current drug concentrations in the appropriate compartments of the mass transport model. The capacitances representing the ventricles are varied in a time-dependent fashion to simulate the beat of the heart. Simulation is performed by using the Euler method to solve a system of 28 ordinary differential equations governing the momentum and mass transport models on a 32-bit microcomputer, a Macintosh II. The model was assessed by performing two demonstrations of the cardiovascular response to the vasopressor angiotensin II (AT II). They first examined the interaction between the cardiovascular system and AT II. The effect of AT II on the cardiovascular system was incorporated into the interaction model. Administration of AT II as a constant infusion (200 micrograms/hr) resulted in an elevation of mean arterial pressure from approximately 100 to 150 mm Hg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)