What does systolic blood pressure represent?

• A. The lowest arterial pressure during heart relaxation
• B. The highest arterial pressure during ventricular contraction
• C. The average arterial pressure over a cardiac cycle
• D. The pressure in the venous system

Answer: (B)

Systolic blood pressure is the peak arterial pressure that occurs when the heart’s ventricles contract and push blood into the arteries. This surge happens during ventricular systole as blood is ejected into the aorta (and pulmonary artery), raising the arterial pressure to its highest point. After the heart relaxes, arterial pressure falls to its lowest point during diastole. The choice describing the highest arterial pressure during ventricular contraction matches this definition. Venous system pressure is a different measure and sits much lower, and the mean arterial pressure refers to an average over the cardiac cycle, not the peak during contraction.