Stochastic Petri net modeling of wave sequences in cardiac arrhythmias.

We describe a methodology for modeling heart rhythms observed in electrocardiograms. In particular, we present a procedure to derive simple dynamic models that capture the cardiac mechanisms which control the particular timing sequences of P and R waves characteristic of different arrhythmias. By treating the cardiac electrophysiology at an aggregate level, simple network models of the wave generating system under a variety of diseased conditions can be developed. These network models are then systematically converted to stochastic Petri nets which offer a compact mathematical framework to express the dynamics and statistical variability of the wave generating mechanisms. Models of several arrhythmias are included in order to illustrate the methodology.