Systole (heartbeat phase): Information & systole specialists

The term systole refers to one of the two heart phases during the pumping movements of the heart. During systole, the heart contracts and pumps blood into the circulatory system. The relaxation phase, on the other hand, is called diastole. Both phases alternate.

Here you will find further information and selected specialists for systole disorders.

The two heart sounds

Medicine distinguishes between two heart sounds in a well-functioning heart:

1. When the heart chambers contract during the heartbeat phase (systole).
2. The second heart sound occurs at the end of the heartbeat phase when the valves close (diastole).

If the heart is diseased, doctors speak of heart murmurs. Heart murmurs are noticeable when the heart valves no longer open or close properly. They can be heard when listening with a stethoscope. This allows doctors to determine whether the heart valves and the heart are healthy and working optimally.

The anatomy of the heart © designua | AdobeStock

Limit values

The heart generates a pressure through its stop-by-stop muscle contractions, which it uses to pump blood into the circulatory system. This pressure inside the blood vessels is called blood pressure. A certain pressure is necessary to ensure that all vessels are supplied with blood.

Two values are required to determine the blood pressure:

• The diastolic and
• systolic blood pressure.

The systolic pressure is the upper measured value. It indicates the maximum pressure developed in the left ventricle during the contraction and ejection phase. This contraction and ejection phase is known as systole. In a healthy person, the systolic pressure is between 110 and 130 mmHg.

The diastolic blood pressure is the lower measured value. It corresponds to the lowest pressure during the relaxation and dilation phase of the heart muscle. The period between the greatest drop in pressure, the diastolic pressure, and the greatest increase in pressure, the systolic pressure, is known in medicine as diastole.

The heart chambers fill with new blood during diastole. In a healthy person, the diastolic pressure is between 80 and 89 mmHg.

Blood pressure values

In principle, blood pressure varies from person to person. It also depends on the situation and the anatomy, such as

• the elasticity of the blood vessels,
• the pumping and pressure capacity of the heart, i.e. the strength of cardiac activity. Under stress, the organs require more blood than at rest. For this reason, an increase in pressure and heart rate is necessary.
• The pressure depends on the vessel width and the associated resistance. The greater the resistance to flow, the greater the pressure must be.
• the body position, and
• the signals from certain nerves and hormones.

A blood pressure value of up to 120/80 mmHg is considered optimal at rest. Values that do not exceed 129/84 mmHg are considered normal. A high normal value is a blood pressure of up to 139/89 mmHg.

• Slightly elevated blood pressure: Values between 140 to 159 at 90 to 99 mmHg
• Moderately elevated blood pressure: Values between 160 and 179 at 100 to 109 mmHg
• Severely high blood pressure: values of more than 180/110 mmHg

Blood pressure can be measured using digital or analog blood pressure measurement © Photo Sesaon | AdobeStock

Deviating blood pressure

If the blood pressure deviates more or less significantly from the normal values, an examination of the heart is necessary. This is done with an electrocardiogram (ECG), among other things.

The doctor can also fit the patient with a long-term blood pressure cuff(long-term ECG). This measures the patient's blood pressure over a period of 24 hours. This makes it possible to determine whether the blood pressure is permanently too high or too low, or whether these are isolated cases.