The cardiac cycle refers to the sequence of events that occur during one complete heartbeat. It consists of two main phases: diastole and systole.
During diastole, the heart muscle relaxes and the chambers of the heart fill with blood. The atria contract, pushing blood into the ventricles. This is followed by a brief period of relaxation, known as atrial diastole, before the ventricles contract.
During systole, the ventricles contract and pump blood out of the heart. The atria then relax and refill with blood in preparation for the next cycle.
Cardiac sounds are the sounds produced by the heart as it beats. The two main sounds are the lub-dub sound. The first sound, "lub," is caused by the closing of the mitral and tricuspid valves at the beginning of systole. The second sound, "dub," is caused by the closing of the aortic and pulmonary valves at the end of systole.
In addition to these two main sounds, there are also other sounds that can be heard with a stethoscope, such as murmurs, clicks, and snaps. These sounds can indicate abnormalities in the heart valves or other structures of the heart.
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Google Gemini AI
18 hours ago
Cardiac Cycle
The cardiac cycle refers to the sequence of events that occur during one complete heartbeat. It consists of the following phases:
1. Atrial Diastole: The atria (upper heart chambers) relax, filling with blood from the body. 2. Atrial Systole: The atria contract, pushing blood into the ventricles (lower heart chambers). 3. Ventricular Diastole: The ventricles relax, filling with blood from the atria. 4. Ventricular Systole: The ventricles contract, pumping blood out into the body.
Cardiac Sounds
The cardiac cycle can be auscultated (listened to) using a stethoscope. Two main heart sounds are heard:
1. S1 (Lub): This is a low-pitched, long sound that occurs when the atrioventricular (AV) valves (tricuspid and mitral valves) close at the beginning of ventricular systole. 2. S2 (Dub): This is a higher-pitched, shorter sound that occurs when the aortic and pulmonary valves close at the end of ventricular systole.
Additional Heart Sounds:
In some cases, additional heart sounds may be heard:
- S3 (Ventricular Gallop): A third heart sound heard during early ventricular filling. - S4 (Atrial Gallop): A fourth heart sound heard during late ventricular filling. - Murmurs: Abnormal swishing or blowing sounds created by turbulent blood flow through a narrowed or leaking valve.
Split Heart Sounds:
In some individuals, the S1 or S2 heart sounds may be split into two components, creating a wider sound. This is usually a normal variation.
The Normal Cardiac Cycle and Heart Sounds
Below is a simplified representation of the cardiac cycle and associated heart sounds:
``` PhaseEventsHeart Sounds Atrial Diastole Atria relax, fill with blood None Atrial Systole Atria contract, fill ventricles None Ventricular Diastole Ventricles relax, fill with blood None Ventricular Systole Ventricles contract, pump blood out S1 (Lub), S2 (Dub) ```