A new phenomenological model of coronary autoregulation

The lumped, seven-segment canine epicardial coronary model presented here is an initial step in evolving a phenomenological approach to simulating coronary autoregulation. Each vessel segment in the model is represented by a cylindrical compliant tube. The coronary model is coupled to a time-varying elastance model of the LV. Coronary flow is controlled on the basis of computed values for myocardial oxygen consumption. Changes in flow are accomplished by modification of the compliance of the small arterial and arteriolar vessel segments, which leads to changes in coronary resistance.