What does systolic blood pressure indicate?

Systolic blood pressure is the measurement taken when the heart contracts and pumps blood out into the arteries. This peak pressure represents the maximum force exerted by the blood against the arterial walls during this contraction phase of the cardiac cycle. It is a critical indicator of cardiovascular health, as it reflects how well the heart is functioning and the condition of the arterial system during moments of high activity. Monitoring systolic blood pressure helps healthcare professionals assess and manage various health conditions, especially those related to heart health.

Other options pertain to different physiological states or metrics: the pressure during heart contractions aligns accurately with the definition of systolic blood pressure, while pressure at rest describes diastolic blood pressure; average arterial pressure is a calculated mean value rather than a specific moment in the cardiac cycle, and normal breathing has no direct correlation with blood pressure measurements.