Cardiac Cycle - Reduced Filling (Phase 7)

A-V Valves Open

As the ventricles continue to fill with blood and expand, they become less compliant and the intraventricular pressures rise. The increase in intraventricular pressure reduces the pressure gradient across the AV valves so that the rate of filling falls late in diastole (this is sometimes referred to as diastasis). 

In normal, resting hearts, the ventricle is about 90% filled by the end of this phase. About 90% of ventricular filling occurs passively before atrial contraction (Phase 1). Aortic and pulmonary arterial pressures continue to fall during this period.

Jump to other phases:

• Phase 1 - Atrial Contraction
• Phase 2 - Isovolumetric Contraction
• Phase 3 - Rapid Ejection
• Phase 4 - Reduced Ejection
• Phase 5 - Isovolumetric Relaxation
• Phase 6 - Rapid Filling

Revised 11/04/2023