key term - Systole

Definition

Systole is the phase of the cardiac cycle during which the heart muscles contract and pump blood from the chambers into the arteries. It primarily occurs in two stages: atrial systole (contraction of the atria) and ventricular systole (contraction of the ventricles).

Related terms

Diastole:

The phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood.

Cardiac Cycle:

The complete sequence of events in the heart from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next, including both systole and diastole.

Blood Pressure:

The force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, often measured during systole (systolic pressure) and diastole (diastolic pressure)