In-Vitro Modeling of Heart Failure in the Presence of a Prosthetic Heart Valve Using Particle Image Velocimetry

It is well-known that cardiovascular disease, affecting millions of people, is the number one killer in the US and worldwide. Current trends indicate that cardiovascular disease (CVD) will claim approximately 20 million victims in 2020 as the leading cause of death worldwide and will be responsible for over a billion deaths between 2000 and 2050 [1]. According to the American Heart Association, one in three American adults have one or more types of heart disease. Economically, the total and indirect costs due to cardiovascular diseases in 2009 were estimated at $475.3 billion. The spectrum of cardiac disease encompasses a broad range of disorders, varying from myocardial ischemia, valvular disease, diastolic dysfunction, congestive heart failure (which is projected to affect 20 million people by 2020), etc. Most of these disorders initiate and are associated to the left side of the heart, which is the workhorse and also the focus of our research herein.