The heart as a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators.

In various approximations the heart is considered as a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators which are characterized by their phase transition curve (PTC) only. The system exhibits many phenomena which are known from ECG recordings such as multi-level-Wenckebach periodicity, dissociation, induction or removal of a tachycardia by an extrasystole, pseudo-block and the gap phenomenon. All these can be discussed within the model on a quantitative level.