Cardiac cycle - reduced filling

    Cardiovascular Physiology Concepts
                                    Richard E. Klabunde, Ph.D.

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Arrhythmias

Cardiac Valve Disease

Coronary Artery Disease

Edema

Heart Failure

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Peripheral Artery Disease

Click here for information on Cardiovascular Physiology Concepts, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (200 5)

Cardiac Cycle - Reduced Filling (Phase 7)

A-V Valves Open

As the ventricles continue to fill with blood and expand, they become less compliant and the intraventricular pressures rise. This reduces the pressure gradient across the AV valves so that the rate of filling falls.
In normal, resting hearts, the ventricle is about 90% filled by the end of this phase. In other words, about 90% of ventricular filling occurs before atrial contraction (phase 1).
Aortic pressure and pulmonary arterial pressures continue to fall during this period.

Jump to other phases:

Phase 1 - Atrial Contraction

Phase 2 - Isovolumetric Contraction

Phase 3 - Rapid Ejection

Phase 4 - Reduced Ejection

Phase 5 - Isovolumetric Relaxation

Phase 6 - Rapid Filling

RK Revised 04/13/07

DISCLAIMER: These materials are for educational purposes only, and are not a source of medical decision-making advice.