What does systolic pressure represent?

Systolic pressure is the measurement of blood pressure during heart contraction. It occurs when the heart's ventricles contract, pumping blood into the arteries. This phase of the cardiac cycle is crucial because it reflects the maximum pressure that blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it is pushed out of the heart. Understanding systolic pressure is important in assessing cardiovascular health and identifying potential issues, such as hypertension.

While other pressures, such as diastolic pressure, refer to the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest, and average arterial pressure provides a broader overview of overall blood pressure, it is specifically the contraction phase of the heart that defines systolic pressure. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of blood circulation and the importance of systolic measurements in evaluating heart function.