THE CARDIAC CYCLE

Dr. ABDALLA ADAM ABDALLA

Cardiac Cycle
• Def: The cardiac events that occur from beginning of one
heart beat to the beginning of the next.
• Atria act as PRIMER PUMPS for ventricles.
• Ventricles are the MAJOR PUMPS.
• Initiated by spontaneous generation of AP in SA node...
Cardiac cycle – basically describes changes in:
1. Pressure (mmHg).
2. Volume (ml).
3. Flow (ml/min).
4. Vibration (Heart sounds).
5. Electrical Activity (ECG)…
 Cardiac Cycle: Preparation notes
• Systole = period of contraction
• Diastole = period of relaxation
• Cardiac Cycle is alternating periods of systole and diastole.
• Phases of the cardiac cycle (Mechanical):
:Rest .1
• Both atria and ventricles in diastole
• Blood is filling both atria and ventricles due to low pressure conditions
:Atrial systole .2
• Blood normally flows continually from great veins into atria.
• 70% flows directly through atria into ventricle before the atria contracts.
• 30% of filling of ventricles by atrial systole.
• Atrial contraction is completed before the ventricle begins to contract.
• After atrial contraction is complete
 End diastolic volume (EDV) =120 ml (preload).
 End-diastolic pressures of:
– LV = 8-12 mmHg and
– RV = 3-6 mmHg
:Ventricular Systole .3
• Ventricles start contraction.
:Isovolumetric Contraction Phase
• Ventricles continue contraction.
• ALL valves are closed now.
• No blood flow (NO change in volume).
• Pressure  (80 mmHg in LV / 25 mmHg in RV).
• Atria go back to diastole.
 Ventricular Ejection
• Intraventricular pressure overcomes aortic pressure.
– Semilunar valves open
– Blood is ejected (Stroke volume [SV] = 75 ml)
ventricular Ejection
 Isovolumetric Relaxation Phase:
• Intraventricular pressure drops below aortic pressure
– Semilunar valves close = second heart sound (dup)
• Pressure still hasn’t dropped enough to open AV valves so
volume remains same (isovolumetric)
• Volume of blood remains in a ventricle after ejection is called
the end-systolic volume (ESV) is ~50ml.
Summary Phases of cardiac cycle

1. V Systole  
 Isovolumic contraction
 Rapid and slow ejection
2. V Diastole  
 Isovolumic relaxation
3. V Filling  
 Rapid phase
 Slow filling (diastasis)
4. Atrial systole or booster
 complete V filling
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