Which phases are included in the cardiac cycle?

The phases included in the cardiac cycle are diastole and systole. Diastole refers to the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes, allowing the chambers of the heart to fill with blood. This is crucial for ensuring that there is adequate blood volume in the heart before it contracts. Systole, on the other hand, is the phase when the heart muscle contracts to pump blood out of the heart and into the circulation. Understanding these two phases is essential for grasping how the heart functions effectively throughout its cycles, as they represent the filling (diastole) and emptying (systole) phases of the heart’s operations.

The other terms may describe parts of the cardiac function but do not encompass the complete distinction between the key phases of the cardiac cycle as accurately as diastole and systole.