Time delay in oscillators communication: implications for arrhythmias in a cardiac model

In this study, a cardiac model based on the discretized Barrio-Varea-Arag´on-Maini (BVAM) model is investigated. The model is modified to include time delays that represent the non immediate communication between the natural cardiac pacemakers. The objective is to understand how the introduction of this delay can affect the system’s dynamics and its relationship with the onset of cardiac arrhythmias. By using dynamic analysis techniques the presence of chaos is analyzed, as well as its impact on the system’s stability. Our results conclude that the introduction of a time delay can induce nonlinear and chaotic behaviors which are known to have a close relationship with critical arrhythmias. This study contributes to the advancement of knowledge in cardiac physiology and highlights the importance of considering nonlinear dynamics in the investigation of cardiac disorders such as arrhythmias.