Reduced models of the cardiovascular system

Due to the large number of vessels involved and the multitude of different length scales required to accurately represent the flow in the various regions of the cardiovascular system, simulations of the flow of blood in the system based on full 3D models (see Chapters 2 and 3) are beyond the capability of current computers and they will be for years to come. Moreover, the huge amount of data that would be generated by such simulations is costly to process and of difficult clinical interpretation.