Wiggers Diagram

What is a Wiggers Diagram?

A is a visual representation of the simultaneous events during a cardiac cycle displayed on a single diagram. It’s an educational tool to help medical students understand what happens during a cardiac process in each section of the heart.

In a Wiggers Diagram, one can expect to see:

• Waves that show the changes in pressure and volume in the artery, atrium, and ventricle
• An ECG that reflects the changes in pressure and volume
• A phonocardiogram shows the different heart sounds that reflect the shutting of a valve

The diagram itself is standardized, which means it looks the same no matter where you obtain a copy. It’s useful when you learn visually. However, when you process and retain information better when you take notes, to help you with your studies, we created a template with more than just an image of the Wiggers Diagram.

On our template, you’ll see:

• The Wiggers Diagram
• Sections where you can take notes on the observed ECG, cardiac cycle phases, aortic pressure waves, ventricular pressure waves, atrial pressure waves, phonocardiogram, and ventricular volume
• Dedicated space at the bottom for any additional notes you may have

If you think you’ll benefit from having a copy of our Wiggers Diagram template, proceed to the next section for instructions on accessing and downloading the template.

How does it work?

Access and Download the Template

To access and download the printable Wiggers diagram template, you can do either of the following:

• Clicking the “Download Template” or “Use Template” button above
• Searching “Wiggers Diagram” in Carepatron’s template library on our website or app

Use the Resource

Once you have a copy of the template, you can use the resource however you would like. You may refer to the “When would you use this template?” section below for ideas on how and when to use this template.

Take Down Notes (Optional)

Though optional, it’ll be helpful to take down notes on sections provided to ensure that you retain the information taught to you about the Wiggers diagram.

When would you use this Template?

To learn and review

You can use our template to learn more about the cardiac cycle and review it whenever needed. That way, you’ll know the content like the back of your hand and better answer tests or apply the knowledge to actual situations.

To explain

In certain situations, it’ll be helpful to explain the cardiac cycle to patients, significantly if it’ll calm them down before agreeing to a particular treatment plan. You can use the Wiggers Diagram as a visual aid to help you explain their situation in the simplest way possible for their sake. It’s also possible to use it to explain the cardiac cycle once more to your juniors when they need a quick refresher before a diagnosis or treatment.

To document and take down notes

It’s scientifically proven that documenting and taking notes helps with information retention. With our template, you don’t have to look for a separate piece of paper or notebook. You simply need a pen or digital device to input notes on certain parts of the Wiggers Diagram to understand or remember it better.

Benefits

Simple to Use

Our free Wiggers Diagram template is simple to use and easy to understand since there aren’t specific instructions you must follow. Its bare-bones design allows you to make the most out of it however you want.

Versatile

Any practitioner who needs to know or is interested in the cardiac cycle can use the Wiggers Diagram template. Furthermore, our template is versatile enough to be used in several ways: as a guide, reference, document, etc.

Provides Basic Information for Application

All practitioners who graduated from medical school can tell you the importance of learning the Wiggers Diagram to understand the cardiovascular system better. By having a template with essential information and notes you made and understood, you’ll better apply the knowledge you obtained.

Entirely Digital and Accessible

Since our free Wiggers Diagram comes as a digital file you can open on any device; you’ll find it a breeze to access it whenever you need it quickly.

Research & Evidence

Undoubtedly, the Wiggers Diagram is a valuable resource since it has been taught to students learning cardiovascular physiology. However, to make it a more effective tool, studies suggest complementing or supporting the diagram with other resources, such as the Wright table or other concepts that aren’t usually introduced when learning about “cardiovascular pedagogy,” such as energy waves and exercise physiology.

References

Mitchell, J. R., & Wang, J. J. (2014). Expanding application of the Wiggers diagram to teach cardiovascular physiology. Advances in physiology education, 38(2), 170–175. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00123.2013

Wright, B. E., Watson, G. L., & Selfridge, N. J. (2020). The Wright table of the cardiac cycle: a stand-alone supplement to the Wiggers diagram. Advances in physiology education, 44(4), 554–563. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00141.2019