The influence of Ca2+ and Nitroprusside on the opening kinematics of the mitral valve

Abstract: During a cardiac cycle the cardiac walls change between contracted and relaxed and the valves open and close in response to pressure changes. This master thesis is a study of the changes in heart movement pattern caused by intravenous injections of Ca2+ or Nitroprusside. At Stanford University radiopaque markers have been surgically implanted in the walls and in the mitral valve of ovine hearts and 3D coordinates for each marker have been constantly measured during the cardiac cycle. By using MatLab, the volume and pressure of the left ventricle and several parameters related to the opening kinematics of the mitral valve have been analyzed. The results show, among others, that both Ca2+ and Nitroprusside reduce the volume and pressure of the left ventricle and that both substances decrease the size of the mitral annular ring. It was also shown that Ca2+ delays the opening of the mitral valve.