Atrial kick is the phenomenon of increased force generated by the atria during contraction. This event occurs late in atrial systole when blood flows from the left atrium into the left ventricle. The purpose of the atrial kick is to increase flow across the mitral valve by increasing the pressure gradient. In a healthy patient, the atrial kick can be responsible for 20% to 30% of the blood transferred to the left ventricle and may be heard as the fourth heart sound.
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