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Systolic blood pressure

Systolic pressure is the pressure of blood against the artery walls when the heart has just finished contracting or pumping out blood. (Diastolic pressure is the pressure of blood against the artery walls between heartbeats, when the heart is relaxed and filling with blood.)

Systolic blood pressure is the upper number of a blood pressure reading. For example, if a person's systolic pressure is 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and the diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg, blood pressure is recorded as 120/80 and read as "120 over 80."

Author Robin Parks, MS
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer George Philippides, MD - Cardiology
Last Updated January 9, 2008

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: January 09, 2008
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