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Modifications and Extensions

Although the human cardiovascular model upon which RCVSIM is based accounts for a wide variety of hemodynamic behaviors, it certainly cannot address arbitrary cardiovascular research objectives. For example, if the researcher is interested in analyzing how stroke volume is compromised at very high heart rates ($ >\,\sim$150 bpm) in the absence of cardiovascular regulation, the model, as described in Section 2, would not be adequate because contracting atrial compartments are not explicitly included. In such cases, the researcher may utilize the RCVSIM source code as a basis for facilitating the construction of a model which can address his research objective. An outline of the major steps necessary for the researcher to create different lumped parameter pulsatile heart and circulation models and add new bandlimited regulatory systems (e.g., arterial chemoreflex) and resting physiologic perturbations (e.g., central oscillator) is provided below. Note that additional steps may also be necessary depending upon the particular extension.


next up previous contents
Next: Software Installation and Compilation Up: Source Code Previous: Flowchart and Functions
Ramakrishna Mukkamala (rama@egr.msu.edu)
2004-02-03