MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Wiggers diagram

Wiggers diagram.

Red = aortic pressure
Blue = left ventricular pressure
Yellow = left atrial pressure.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]


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:

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
    Ventricular systole
  • Cardiac diastole
    Cardiac diastole
  • The EKG complex. P=P wave, PR=PR interval, QRS=QRS complex, QT=QT interval, ST=ST segment, T=T wave
    The EKG complex. P=P wave, PR=PR interval, QRS=QRS complex, QT=QT interval, ST=ST segment, T=T wave


ECG
ECG

See also


Template:WH Template:WS

Imprint

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH