In a blood pressure reading of 130/70 mmHg, the 130 represents which event?

• A. Ventricular contraction
• B. Ventricular relaxation
• C. Ventricular filling
• D. Atrial contraction

Answer: (A)

Systolic pressure is the peak arterial pressure produced when the heart beats and the ventricles contract to eject blood into the aorta. In this reading, the 130 reflects that peak pressure during ventricular contraction, when the left ventricle is actively squeezing blood out. After this, during ventricular relaxation (diastole), the pressure falls to about 70 mmHg as the ventricles fill and the aorta recoils. So the 130 corresponds to the ventricle contracting and pushing blood into the circulation. The other events describe what happens during relaxation and filling, which account for the diastolic value and the timing of atrial contribution, not the peak pressure.