CLINICAL-JVP CHARACTERISTICS

SUMMARY

RULES1. ANY CARDIAC CHAMBER contracts => stops contracting => relaxes => stops relaxing & fills => stops filling.
2. ATRIAL/VENTRICULAR CHAMBERS lag 1 step behind each other.
3. ANY CARDIAC VALVE closes when there is max pressure difference between chambers (i.e. stops contracting/contracts OR relaxing/stop contracting).

FOCUS ON THE RIGHT HEART ONLY! The confusion arises from the misleading labels:1. RA contracts + TV open + RV stops filling => a wave
2. RA stops contracting + TV close + RV contracts => c wave
3. RA relaxes + TV close + RV stops contracting => x descent
4. RA fills + TV open + RV relaxes => v wave
5. RA stops filling + TV open + RV fills => y descent

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].