What does diastole denote in heart function?

Diastole denotes the relaxation phase of the heart. During this phase, the heart muscle relaxes after contraction, allowing the chambers of the heart to fill with blood. This is a critical part of the heart's rhythm and function, as sufficient blood fill in the ventricles during diastole is essential for effective pumping during the subsequent contraction phase, known as systole.

Understanding diastole is important because it highlights how the heart manages blood flow and pressure, which is vital for cardiovascular health. The other concepts related to heart function, such as contraction or the amount of blood ejected, pertain to different aspects of cardiac physiology and do not define diastole itself.