Hemodynamics: An Introduction

International audienceThe cardiovascular transport circuit is involved in both mass and heat transfer. It carries blood cells as well as oxygen and nutrients to cells of the body’s organs through the perfusing systemic arterial bed and wastes produced by working cells to their final destinations through draining veins. Blood flows throughout the body in the vasculature due to a pressure difference between the ventricular outlet and atrial inlet. Blood is propelled in the systemic and pulmonary circulation by the synchronized action of the left and right apposed cardiac pumps, respectively. Hemodynamics is related to the flow features in the heart and blood vessels, in normal and pathological conditions, in particular the pressure–flow relations and transport of substances by blood to given target organs. It can be required in therapy planning and optimization