Diastole

The activity of the heart is based on the rhythmic alternation of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the heart muscle. We distinguish between atrial and ventricular diastole, but the term diastole is usually used in connection with ventricular diastole. During diastole, the ventricles fill with blood from the atria. In systole, blood is then expelled from the heart into the large arteries (lungs from the right ventricle, aorta from the left ventricle).

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