Wiggers diagram
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Wiggers_diagram".

Wiggers diagram.

Red = aortic pressure
Blue = left ventricular pressure
Yellow = left atrial pressure.

A Wiggers diagram is a standard diagram used in cardiac physiology.

The X axis is used to plot time, while the Y axis contains all of the following on a single grid:

• Blood pressure
  • Aortic pressure
  • Ventricular pressure
  • Atrial pressure
• Ventricular volume
• Electrocardiogram
• Arterial flow (optional)
• Heart sounds (optional)

By illustrating the coordinated variation of these values, it becomes easier to illustrate the relationship between these values in the cardiac cycle.

Etymology

It is named after Carl J. Wiggers. (The diagram is frequently incorrectly called a "Wigger's diagram". Although "Wiggers's diagram" would be grammatically correct, it is more frequently rendered "Wiggers diagram", with no apostrophe.)

Events

Note that during isovolumetric/isovolumic contraction and relaxation, all the heart valves are closed. At no time are all the heart valves open.

• S3 and S4 heart sounds are associated with pathologies and are not routinely heard.

Additional images

Ventricular systole

Cardiac diastole

ECG

The EKG complex. P=P wave, PR=PR interval, QRS=QRS complex, QT=QT interval, ST=ST segment, T=T wave

See also

• Pressure volume diagram

External links

• Flash animation at utah.edu
• Diagram at mmi.mcgill.ca
• Slides at ouhscphysio.org
• Diagram at arizona.edu
• Diagram at cals.ncsu.edu
• Biography of Carl Wiggers
• isometric+period+of+cardiac+cycle at eMedicine Dictionary

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