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Heart Sounds and Cardiac Cycle

Jun 25, 2025

Overview

This lecture explains the origins of the heart's "lub dub" sounds, details heart valve function, and connects heart sounds to cardiac cycle phases.

Heart Anatomy and Blood Flow

  • The heart has four chambers: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.
  • Blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle, then to the lungs, returns to the left atrium, and moves to the left ventricle.
  • Four main heart valves control blood flow: tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves.

Heart Valve Function

  • Tricuspid valve (T) separates right atrium and right ventricle; mitral valve separates left atrium and left ventricle.
  • Pulmonary valve controls flow from right ventricle to lungs; aortic valve controls flow from left ventricle to body.
  • Valves open to allow correct blood flow and close to prevent backflow.

Origin of Heart Sounds (Lub Dub)

  • "Lub" (S1): Occurs when tricuspid and mitral valves snap shut, preventing backflow into atria.
  • "Dub" (S2): Occurs when pulmonary and aortic valves snap shut, preventing backflow into ventricles.
  • When one set of valves closes, the other set opens simultaneously.

Heart Sounds and Cardiac Cycle

  • The period between "lub" (S1) and "dub" (S2) is called systole, when ventricles contract and blood moves to arteries.
  • The period between "dub" (S2) and the next "lub" (S1) is called diastole, when ventricles relax and fill with blood from atria.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • S1 (First heart sound) — "Lub" sound caused by closure of tricuspid and mitral valves.
  • S2 (Second heart sound) — "Dub" sound caused by closure of pulmonary and aortic valves.
  • Systole — Phase when ventricles contract and pump blood to lungs and body.
  • Diastole — Phase when ventricles relax and fill with blood from atria.
  • Backflow — Blood flowing in the wrong direction, prevented by valve closure.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Review diagrams of heart chambers and valves.
  • Practice identifying S1 and S2 during heart auscultation exercises.