Diastole

Definition

Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle during which the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers, specifically the ventricles, to fill with blood. It occurs right after systole, the phase of heart contraction, completing a full heart beat cycle.

Related terms

Systole: The phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart contracts, pumping blood out of the chambers.

Ventricles:

The two lower chambers of the heart that receive blood from the atria above them and contract during systole to eject blood into the arteries.

Cardiac Cycle:

The complete sequence of events in the heart from one heartbeat to another, including diastole and systole phases