Wiggers diagram
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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' 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
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
