Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

Active filling happens during which part of the normal cardiac cycle?

1. immediately after the T wave

2. just after QRS

3. immediately after the P wave

4. during the QRS

The correct answer is: immediately after the P wave

Active filling of the heart, particularly in the context of the left atrium and ventricle, primarily occurs during diastole when the heart muscle relaxes. This phase allows for the inflow of blood into the chambers of the heart. Specifically, this process is closely associated with atrial contraction, which happens soon after the P wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The P wave represents atrial depolarization, and once the atria contract, they actively push blood into the ventricles. This phase is known as atrial systole, and it contributes to what is referred to as "active filling" because the atrial contraction enhances ventricular filling by forcing additional blood into the ventricle that is already filling passively during earlier phases of diastole. By focusing on the timing of this event, it becomes clear why the correlation with the P wave is correct; this wave marks the electrical activity that initiates atrial contraction, leading to active filling. Understanding the relationship between the cardiac cycle and the electrical events as represented on the ECG is crucial for interpreting cardiac mechanics effectively.