Ion accumulation and arrhythmogenesis in networks of cardiac cells

The authors examine the effects of Na-K pump blockade in cardiac atrial tissue using mathematical modeling and analysis. A complex model of electrochemical activity in atrial cells comprising a system of 17 differential equations are analysed to predict the occurrence of oscillatory calcium dynamics. Spatial patterns of ion accumulation were investigated in networks of cardiac cells coupled by gap junctions where a small part of the network was subjected to Na-K pump poisoning. Simulations were performed on workstations and the results were then used to set up initial conditions of computations of the full cell network model on a parallel supercomputer.<>