Physics of the human cardiovascular system

Contemporary measurement techniques permit rite non-invasive observation of several cardiovascular functions, both from the central and peripheral poi nts of view. We shoe that, within? one cycle of blood through the cardiovas cular system, the same dynamics characterizes heart function as well as blo od flow in the capillary ben where cells exchange energy and matter. Analys es of several quite different signals derived from respiration, cardiac fun ction and blood flow, all reveal the existence of five almost periodic freq uency components. This result is interpreted us evidence that cardiovascula r dynamics is governed by five coupled oscillators. The couplings provide c o-ordination among the physiological processes involved, and are essential for efficiency cardiovascular function. Understanding the dynamics of a sys tem of five coupled oscillators not only. represents a theoretical challeng e, bit also carries practical implications for, diagnosis and for predictin g the future behaviour of this life giving system.