Anatomy & Physiology › Section Q · The heart › Topic Q.3
The cardiac cycle
One heartbeat is a short, precisely ordered sequence of filling, squeezing, ejecting and relaxing. Following the pressures in each chamber explains when every valve opens and shuts, and where the two familiar heart sounds come from.
In this topic
- Systole, diastole and one beat
- Pressure drives flow, valves follow
- Filling: passive flow and the atrial kick
- Ventricular systole in two phases
- Stroke volume and ejection fraction
- Worked example: stroke volume and ejection fraction
- Relaxation: back to the start
- Worked example: reading the valves from pressures
- Heart sounds
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…