question about jugular venous pressure wave

[lightthelamp4]

I am sure that I am missing an obvious concept here and hoping that someone can point it out to me as I am very frustrated. I do not understand how the Y wave in the JVP curve correlates to rapid emptying of RA into RV as TV opens. I dont get how this occurs without RA contraction. When I look at the curve I see..

a=RA contraction
c=TV bulging backward
x=RA relaxation as RV begins to contract
v=rapid RA filling
y=rapid emptying of RA into RV as TV opens


...how is there emptying of the RA without contraction immediatly beforehand?

any help would be greatly appreciated.🙁

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[coolforschool]

y = rapid emptying occurs because there's a pressure gradient that enables flow from RA --> RV due to the pressure build-up in the RA when the tricuspid valve is closed during diastole. a = atrial contraction which refers to the atrial kick at the end of diastole that pushes that last bit of blood into the right ventricle.

 

[lightthelamp4]

ok so what your saying is the blood rapidly leaving RA during the Y descent in because of the pressure gradient developed as the RA filled, and this occurs prior to the actual contraction of the RA (which is the a wave).


think I got it. Thanks for your help!

 

[coolforschool]

ok so what your saying is the blood rapidly leaving RA during the Y descent in because of the pressure gradient developed as the RA filled, and this occurs prior to the actual contraction of the RA (which is the a wave).


think I got it. Thanks for your help!

Yep, you got it. NP.

 

[sharklasers]

ok so what your saying is the blood rapidly leaving RA during the Y descent in because of the pressure gradient developed as the RA filled, and this occurs prior to the actual contraction of the RA (which is the a wave).


think I got it. Thanks for your help!

this creation of the pressure gradient is also known as isovolumic relaxation