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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Heart, Circulation and Breathing

Cardiac cycle

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, cardiac cycle means: The sequence of events in one heartbeat: contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the atria and ventricles, with the heart valves opening and closing in turn.

In Turkish: kalp döngüsü, kardiyak siklus

How it is used

A favorite exam topic, usually studied with a pressure–volume loop or a Wiggers diagram. At a heart rate of 75 beats per minute one cycle lasts about 0.8 seconds. The heart sounds S1 and S2 are produced by valves closing.

Example sentences

  1. Draw and label the pressure changes in the left ventricle during the cardiac cycle.

  2. At rest, diastole takes up about two-thirds of the cardiac cycle.

Common collocations

  • phases of the cardiac cycle
  • systole
  • diastole
  • Wiggers diagram
  • heartThe muscular organ in the chest that pumps blood around the body. It has four chambers: two atria that receive blood and two ventricles that pump it out.
  • ventricleOne of the two lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out: the right ventricle sends blood to the lungs and the left ventricle sends it to the rest of the body.
  • atriumOne of the two upper chambers of the heart that receive blood: the right atrium from the veins of the body and the left atrium from the lungs. Each passes blood down to its ventricle.
  • blood pressureThe force that circulating blood puts on the walls of the arteries. It is given as two numbers, systolic over diastolic, in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), for example 120/80.

More terms: Heart, Circulation and Breathing

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.