1. Atrial contraction: The atria contract, forcing blood into the ventricles. This accounts for approximately 20-30% of ventricular filling.
2. Opening of the AV valves: The atrioventricular (AV) valves, including the tricuspid valve on the right side and the mitral valve on the left side, open to allow blood to flow from the atria into the ventricles.
3. Passive filling: The majority of ventricular filling occurs passively as blood flows from the atria into the ventricles due to the pressure difference between the two chambers.
4. Ventricular diastole: The ventricles relax and expand, creating a lower pressure environment that allows for blood to flow in from the atria.
5. End-diastolic volume (EDV): The volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of ventricular filling is known as the end-diastolic volume. This volume is typically around 120-130 mL in a healthy adult.
6. Atrial relaxation: As ventricular filling nears completion, the atria relax and prepare for the next phase of the cardiac cycle.
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Google Gemini AI
more than 4 weeks ago
1. Atrioventricular (AV) valves open. The AV valves (tricuspid and mitral valves on the right and left sides of the heart, respectively) open at the beginning of ventricular filling. This allows blood to flow from the atria into the ventricles. 2. Ventricular pressure decreases. As the ventricles fill with blood, the pressure inside the ventricles decreases. This is because the volume of the ventricles increases, which decreases the pressure according to Boyle's law. 3. Atrial pressure increases. As the ventricles fill with blood, the pressure in the atria increases. This is because the atria are now holding more blood than they were before. 4. Ventricular filling slows. As the ventricles fill with blood, the rate of ventricular filling slows down. This is because the pressure gradient between the atria and ventricles decreases as the ventricles fill. 5. AV valves close. The AV valves close at the end of ventricular filling. This prevents blood from flowing back into the atria.