🍪
'Tis the season sale SAVE 30% now
Medicine (MD/DO)
/
Courses
/
Physiology
/
Fundamentals of Cardiovascular Physiology
/
Cardiac Cycle - Diastole

Master Cardiac Cycle - Diastole with Picmonic for Medicine

With Picmonic, facts become pictures. We've taken what the science shows - image mnemonics work - but we've boosted the effectiveness by building and associating memorable characters, interesting audio stories, and built-in quizzing.

DOWNLOAD PDF
Cardiac Cycle - Diastole

Cardiac Cycle - Diastole

Dice in Heart
Picmonic
Diastole is the stage of the cardiac cycle associated with refilling the heart with blood. After blood is ejected from the heart during systole, the aortic and pulmonary valves close. Both valves close to prevent backflow from the previous cycle’s systole and also to allow the ventricles to fill properly. The ventricles then relax isovolumetrically until pressures are low enough for the two two atrioventricular (AV) valves to open. When this happens, the mitral valve and tricuspid valve open to allow blood from the atria to enter the ventricles. This is called ventricular filling. Later in diastole, the sinoatrial (SA) node fires causing both atria to contract and expel the little bit of blood remaining in them into the ventricles before the atrioventricular valves close. Diastole concludes when the atrioventricular valves close.
8 KEY FACTS
CHARACTERISTICS
Aortic Valve Closes
A-orca Valve is Closed

The aortic valve is between the left ventricle and aorta. It is closed to allow the left ventricle to fill properly, as well as prevent backflow from the previous systolic cycle.

Pulmonary Valve Closes
Lung-guy holding Valve Closed

The pulmonary valve is between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery, and it is closed during diastole. This allows blood to fill the ventricles properly, and also prevents backflow into the ventricle from the previous systolic cycle. It closes shortly after the Aortic Valve, and this difference in timing can be heard as a split S2.

Ventricles Relax
Vent-Chambers Relax

After the aortic valve closes, the ventricles relax isovolumetrically until ventricular pressure drops below atrial pressure to allow opening of the atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and mitral).

Mitral Valve Opens
Mitt-troll allowing Dice through

The mitral valve is located in between the left atrium and left ventricle. It opens to allow blood to flow from the atria to ventricles.

Tricuspid Valve Opens
Tricycle-cupid-valve is Open

The tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle, and it opens in response to increased pressure.

Ventricles Fill
Vent-chambers Filling with dice

The ventricles fill with blood due to atrial contraction, as blood flows through the atrioventricular valves (AV valves), which are the tricuspid and mitral valves.

Sinoatrial (SA) Node Fires
Silo-nose jolting A-Trees

At the end of diastole, the SA node initiates an atrial contraction. The impulse initiating at the sinoatrial node occurs independently without neuronal input.

Atrial Contraction
A-trees Flexing

The sinoatrial node spreads a depolarization wave causing the two atria to contract simultaneously, pushing the last of the atrial blood out into the ventricles.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recommended Picmonics

picmonic thumbnail
Cardiac Cycle - Systole
picmonic thumbnail
Cardiac Pressures
picmonic thumbnail
Aortic Stenosis
picmonic thumbnail
Parts of an ECG

Take the Cardiac Cycle - Diastole Quiz

Picmonic's rapid review multiple-choice quiz allows you to assess your knowledge.

It's worth every penny

Our Story Mnemonics Increase Mastery and Retention

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Unforgettable characters with concise but impactful videos (2-4 min each)

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Ace Your Medicine (MD/DO) Classes & Exams with Picmonic:

Over 1,990,000 students use Picmonic’s picture mnemonics to improve knowledge, retention, and exam performance.

Choose the #1 Medicine (MD/DO) student study app.

Picmonic for Medicine (MD/DO) covers information that is relevant to your entire Medicine (MD/DO) education. Whether you’re studying for your classes or getting ready to conquer the USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, COMLEX Level 1, or COMLEX Level 2, we’re here to help.

Works better than traditional Medicine (MD/DO) flashcards.

Research shows that students who use Picmonic see a 331% improvement in memory retention and a 50% improvement in test scores.