Advanced Monitoring Parameters: GEF

Contractility

Contractility is another factor that influences cardiac output. Contractility of the myocardium represents the ability of the heart to contract independent of the influence from preload or afterload. Substances that cause an increase in intracellular calcium ions lead to an increase in contractility. Different concentrations of calcium ions in the cell lead to a different degree of binding between the actin (thin) and myosin (thick) filaments of the heart muscle.