PHASES OF THE CARDIAC CYCLE:

ATRIAL SYSTOLE
ISOVOLUMIC CONTRACTION
MAXIMUM EJECTION
REDUCED EJECTION
ISOVOLUMIC RELAXATION
RAPID VENTRICULAR FILLING
DIASTASIS or
SLOW VENTRICULAR FILLING

SYSTOLE

DIASTOLE

Begins as atrium contracts

ATRIAL SYSTOLE

Small rise in
atrial & ventricular pressures
Mitral valve is open
Aortic valve is closed

Diastolic
run-off

a
wave

Aortic pressure gradually drops as the

elastic walls of the artery recoil from the
previous systolic ballooning
Ventricle at its maximum volume
END DIASTOLIC VOLUME
P wave overlaps the beginning of this
phase
QRS complex is seen at the end of this
phase
The phonogram is silent

ISOVOLUMIC
CONTRACTION

Start of QRS Complex

Ventricular contraction begins
Ventricular pressure rapidly rises
CLOSURE of MITRAL VALVE
FIRST HEART SOUND

AVO

MVC

BOTH the Mitral and Aortic Valves are

CLOSED
Aortic pressure continues to drop &
reaches its minimum pressure
Massive contraction of the ventricle
distorts the shape of the atrium
Atrial pressure c wave

At the end of this phase:

ventricular pressure equals
& then exceeds aortic pressure
OPENING of AORTIC VALVE

EJECTION

aortic valve opens

blood rapidly ejected into the aorta
rapid drop in ventricular volume
pressures in the ventricle & aorta
Atrial filling via venous pressure against a
closed mitral valve

Maximum
Ejection
Phase

AVC

gradual rise in the atrium pressure

Reduced
Ejection
Phase

Midway in the cycle:

muscle stops contracting & begins to
repolarize
T wave
aortic & ventricular pressures

End of the ejection phase: ventricular

pressure falls below the aortic pressure
CLOSURE OF AORTIC VALVE
SECOND HEART SOUND

ISOVOLUMIC
RELAXATION

Ventricle at rest
BOTH VALVES are CLOSED
Volume is constant & at its lowest
Atrial pressure continues to rise as blood
dams up against the closed mitral valve
Atrial v wave

Momentary back-flow of blood

aortic valve snapping closed
MVO

DICROTIC NOTCH in the aortic pressure

curve
Ventricular pressure rapidly drops atrial
pressure is matched
MITRAL VALVE OPENS.

Repolarization of the ventricular

myocardium is complete

RAPID
FILLING

Mitral valve open

Blood rapidly flows into the ventricle
Steep slope on the ventricular volume
curve
Gradual drop of aortic pressure

Third heart sound heard at the end of this

phase, possibly caused by turbulent flow
into a nearly filled chamber.

No activity is seen on the ECG.

DIASTASIS

This period falls in the middle of the

ventricular diastole
Slight in Atrial & Ventricular pressure
LA pressure will be slightly higher than in
the LV.

Aortic pressure continues to fall

Phonogram is silent.

Near the end of diastasis:

P wave appears on the ECG as the atrial
myocardium prepares for atrial systole.