6. Cardiac cycle

• What are the three stages of the cardiac cycle?

  Atrial systole, ventricular systole, cardiac diastole
• What occurs during atrial systole?

  Atria contract, forcing blood into ventricles
• What happens during ventricular systole?

  Ventricles contract, blood leaves heart
• What occurs during cardiac diastole?

  Atria and ventricles relax, pressure decreases
• Systole


  The contraction phase of the heart where blood is pumped out
• Diatole


  The relaxation phase of the heart where blood is filled
• Cardiac cycle


  The sequence of events from diastole to systole and back to diastole
• Cardiac output and blood pressure


  The factors that affect the relationship between cardiac output and blood pressure