Welcome to the Pharmacology Animations page. Dr. Don Blumenthal and the Knowledge Weavers at the University of Utah have teamed up to provide course material in the Pharmacology Department using the multimedia software Macromedia Flash 3. Flash is a vector-based animation and multimedia application allowing for complex and detailed animations and images at extremely low file sizes. This invaluable tool has led to the creation, or rather reincarnation of the HyperHeart animation originally done in Hypercard by Dan Ricks. HyperHeart is an interactive animation/movie developed for Dr. Blumenthal's pharmacology course detailing bloodflow, aortic/ventricular volumes and pressures present in a normal cardiac cycle. Also included are an electrocardiogram and heart sounds graph. Tutorials are provided for each phase of the cycle and interactive functions such as frame-by frame viewing, high/low quality toggle for faster playback, and a pop-up-menu to select the phase tutorials can all be utilized within the animation itself.
For detailed instructions of the controls please use the HELP button once inside the animation or use the instructions link on this page. To begin, simply click in the start button for HyperHeart at the top of this page. Remember that once inside the animation the HELP button can be used to explain the controls and features of HyperHeart.