What is blood pressure?

• A. The force of blood pushing against the side of the vessel wall.
• B. The rate at which the heart beats per minute.
• C. The amount of blood pumped per minute into the vessels.
• D. The electrical activity of the heart.

Answer: (A)

Blood pressure is the force that circulating blood exerts on the walls of the arteries. It reflects how hard the heart is pumping and the resistance offered by the vessels, and it’s measured as systolic over diastolic pressure in millimeters of mercury. The best description of blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the vessel walls.

Heart rate is simply the number of heartbeats per minute. Cardiac output is the amount of blood the heart pumps each minute. Electrical activity refers to the heart’s rhythm and conduction, seen on an ECG.