Definition

1. Noun:
   • The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood: In physiology, 'diastole' specifically refers to the period of relaxation and dilation of the heart's ventricles, occurring between two contractions (systoles). This is when blood flows into the heart chambers.

Usage

• General Use: The term is primarily used in medical, biological, and physiological contexts to describe a specific part of the cardiac cycle.
  • Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: systolic pressure (during contraction) and diastolic pressure (during diastole).
  • The doctor explained that a longer diastole allows for better filling of the coronary arteries.

Advanced Usage

• "Ventricular diastole": The period when the ventricles are relaxed and filling. This is often the specific meaning of 'diastole' in cardiology.
  • During ventricular diastole, the mitral and tricuspid valves are open.
• "Atrial diastole": The period when the atria are relaxed and filling with blood returning from the veins.
  • Atrial diastole coincides with ventricular systole in the cardiac cycle.

Variants and Related Words

• Diastolic (adj): Pertaining to or occurring during diastole.
  • Her diastolic blood pressure reading was excellent.
• Systole (n): The complementary phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts to pump blood out. This is the direct antonym in the cardiac cycle context.

Synonyms

• Cardiac relaxation: A descriptive synonym, though less precise and technical than 'diastole'.
• Filling phase: A functional description of this part of the cardiac cycle.

Related Phrases

• "Diastolic dysfunction": A medical condition where the heart has impaired relaxation and filling during diastole.
  • The echocardiogram revealed evidence of diastolic dysfunction.
• "Diastolic murmur": A heart sound heard during the diastolic phase, often indicating valve problems.
  • The cardiologist detected a diastolic murmur suggestive of aortic regurgitation.

Noun

1. the widening of the chambers of the heart between two contractions when the chambers fill with blood