What does systolic blood pressure measure?

Systolic blood pressure refers to the pressure in the arteries when the heart's ventricles contract and pump blood out into the body. This measurement is critical as it indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when the heart is actively beating. It provides essential information about cardiovascular health, as elevated systolic pressure can suggest various health issues, including hypertension and increased risk for heart disease.

In contrast to other options, pressure during heart relaxation refers to diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats. Average blood pressure in the arteries can be represented through mean arterial pressure but does not specifically focus on the contraction phase of the heartbeat. Pressure during lung inflation is unrelated to blood pressure measurements and pertains more to respiratory function rather than cardiovascular metrics.