Nonlinear dynamics of the heartbeat: II. Subharmonic bifurcations of the cardiac interbeat interval in sinus node disease

Abstract

Changing the coupling of electronic relaxation oscillators may be associated with the emergence of complex periodic behavior. The electrocardiographic record of a patient with the “sick sinus syndrome” demonstrated periodic behavior including subharmonic bifurcations in an attractor of his interbeat interval. Such nonlinear dynamics which may emerge from alterations in the coupling of oscillating pacemakers are not predicted by traditional models in cardiac electrophysiology. An understanding of the nonlinear behavior of physical and mathematical systems may generalize to pathophysiological processes.