Simulation of the effect of a unipolar quadriphasic truncated exponential defibrillation pulse on a cardiomyocyte model

Data modeling the response of a cardiomyocyte in a state of simulated fibrillation to depolarizing and hyperpolarizing unipolar quadriphasic truncated exponential defibrillation pulses were used to produce a comparison with an energetically optimal biphasic truncated exponential pulse. The modeling results showed that the unipolar quadriphasic defibrillation pulse has significantly higher energy efficiency than a biphasic pulse in which the first two phases have the same shape. Furthermore, the unipolar quadriphasic pulse provides a defibrillation completeness index close to unity, which increases the probability of successful defibrillation. As compared with the generation of a biphasic truncated exponential pulse, generation of a unipolar quadriphasic pulse eliminates the need for a high-voltage bridge polarity switch.