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.
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Etymology
It is named after Dr. Carl J. Wiggers, M.D.. The diagram is frequently incorrectly called a "Wigger's diagram". Although "Wiggers' diagram" would be grammatically correct, it is more frequently rendered "Wiggers diagram", with no apostrophe.
Events
| Phase | EKG | Heart sounds | Aortic valve | Mitral valve | |
| A | Atrial systole | P | S4* | closed | open |
| B | Ventricular systole - Isovolumetric/isovolumic contraction | QRS | S1 ("lub") | closed | closed |
| C1 | Ventricular systole - Ejection 1 | - | open | closed | |
| C2 | Ventricular systole - Ejection 2 | T | open | closed | |
| D | Ventricular diastole - Isovolumetric/isovolumic relaxation | - | S2 ("dub") | closed | closed |
| E1 | Ventricular diastole - Ventricular filling 1 | - | S3* | closed | open |
| E2 | Ventricular diastole - Ventricular filling 2 | - | closed | open |
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
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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