title: Two biophysical mechanisms of defibrillation of cardiac tissue.
abstract: We have studied the mechanisms whereby a strong electric shock terminates chaotic wave propagation in cardiac tissue (defibrillation). In a generic model of cellular excitable tissue with two variables, we have found two mechanisms: one based on excitation (E), and another based on de-excitation (D) of cells by the small scale periodic component of transmembrane potential induced by the shock. Symmetry properties of the current-voltage characteristics describing the dynamics of the fast ionic currents, along with the strength of the electric field determine which of these mechanisms operates. A prediction of this work to be tested experimentally is that upon increasing the electric field one mechanism may switch to another, resulting in the following unusual sequence of events: defibrillation is first possible by mechanism E at moderate fields, then impossible, and finally possible by mechanism D, at higher fields.
authors.affiliation: Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, Université de Nice Sophia, Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pumir
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Krinsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular