title: Electromechanical activation sequence in normal heart.
abstract: This article summarizes the recent experimental and theoretic data regarding the normal electromechanical activation sequence of the left ventricle (LV). First, the cardiac electrical sequence is presented with a brief insight into the wave front of electrical activation that develops from the organized transmural spread of action potentials. Second, the regional heterogeneity in electromechanical coupling and myofiber stretch-shortening kinematics are presented. Finally, the transmural shortening and lengthening sequences are linked with the myofiber architecture of the left ventricular wall to explain the global three-dimensional twisting deformation of the LV. Integrating the electrical and mechanical domains of myocardial function provides vital insights into the macroscopic physiologic behavior of a beating heart.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. sengupta.partho@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Partho P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tondato
authors.forename: Bijoy K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Khandheria
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belohlavek
authors.forename: Arshad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahangir
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D054849:Cardiac Electrophysiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016276:Ventricular Function