Diastole (cardiac cycle)

Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes and its chambers fill with blood. It alternates with systole, when the chambers contract.

Ventricular filling: The movement of blood into the ventricles during diastole. It is the central filling process that occurs while the heart relaxes.
Cardiac cycle: The sequence of electrical and mechanical events in one heartbeat. Diastole is one phase within this repeating sequence.
Diastolic blood pressure: The arterial pressure measured while the ventricles are relaxed between contractions. It is named for the cardiac phase associated with arterial pressure’s lower point.
Isovolumetric relaxation: The early-diastolic interval when ventricles relax while all heart valves are closed. It begins diastole before ventricular filling starts.
Atrial systole: Atrial contraction that pushes additional blood into the ventricles near the end of ventricular diastole. It completes ventricular filling just before the ventricles contract.
Heart chambers: The four spaces of the heart: two atria and two ventricles. Their relaxation and filling define the chambers’ diastolic activity.
Echocardiography: An ultrasound method that images the heart and measures its structure and function. Doppler and tissue measurements can assess ventricular relaxation and filling.
Isovolumetric contraction: The early-systolic interval when ventricles contract while all heart valves are closed. It follows filling and contrasts with relaxation before the ventricles eject blood.
Atrioventricular valves: The mitral and tricuspid valves, which permit blood to flow from the atria into the ventricles. They open as ventricular pressure falls, allowing blood to enter the ventricles.
Atria: The two upper heart chambers that receive blood and pass it to the ventricles. They receive venous blood during ventricular filling.

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Heart soundsRelated: S3 and S4 occur during diastole, as do many clinically relevant murmurs.