Patient was educated on systole as follows:

  1. When the ventricles are full with blood from the atria, the pressure in the ventricles increases.
  2. The electrical signal that was initiated will spread from the atrial musculature to AV node, located at the junction of right atrium and ventricle.
  3. From the AV node, the impulse will spread across the ventricular muscle, causing contraction of both the ventricles.
  4. The AV valves are still closed and so, will prevent any back flow into the atria.
  5. The pulmonary and aortic valves open at this point and the blood from the right and left ventricles will enter the pulmonary artery and aorta respectively. This phase of ventricular emptying is called systole.
  6. At the end of systole, the pressure in the ventricles is low and the pressure in the pulmonary artery and aorta are high. This will force closing of the pulmonary and aortic valves.
  7. Closing of the pulmonic and aortic valves is marked by the 2nd heart sound.
  8. The low pressure in the ventricles will also help opening of the AV valves and initiation of a new heart beat.