What is the diastolic blood pressure measurement?

What is the diastolic blood pressure measurement?

• A. The pressure in the arteries when the ventricles contract
• B. The pressure in the arteries when the ventricles relax between contractions
• C. The pressure in the veins during atrial relaxation
• D. The pressure in the ventricles while they fill

Answer: (B)

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. It reflects arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation as the ventricles fill again. This is different from systolic pressure, which is the higher arterial pressure that occurs when the ventricles contract and push blood out. It’s also about arteries, not veins, and not the pressure inside the ventricles themselves. So the description that fits is the arterial pressure during relaxation between contractions.

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. It reflects arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation as the ventricles fill again. This is different from systolic pressure, which is the higher arterial pressure that occurs when the ventricles contract and push blood out. It’s also about arteries, not veins, and not the pressure inside the ventricles themselves. So the description that fits is the arterial pressure during relaxation between contractions.