Diastole (Noun)
Meaning
The widening of the chambers of the heart between two contractions when the chambers fill with blood.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- The heart is in diastole when it is relaxed and not pumping blood throughout the body.
- Diastole is the period during the cardiac cycle when the chambers of the heart are being refilled with blood in preparation for the next contraction.
- The increased pressure of the blood rushing into the heart during diastole causes the mitral and tricuspid valves to close.
- During diastole, the ventricles fill with blood that flows through the open atrioventricular valves from the atria.
- In a healthy heart, diastole is just as important as systole because the chambers must have time to fill with blood to ensure proper circulation.