NETA Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What term refers to the amount of pressure exerted against arterial walls during heart contraction?

1. Diastolic BP

2. Systolic BP

3. Pulse Pressure

4. Mean Arterial Pressure

The correct answer is: Systolic BP

The term that refers to the amount of pressure exerted against arterial walls during heart contraction is systolic blood pressure. During systole, the heart muscles contract and pump blood into the arteries, which creates a surge of pressure against the arterial walls. This peak pressure, measured during this phase of the cardiac cycle, is what systolic blood pressure represents. In contrast, diastolic blood pressure refers to the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats, which occurs after the contraction phase. Pulse pressure, which is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, gives an idea about the force that the heart generates each time it contracts. Mean arterial pressure is an average pressure in the arteries during one cardiac cycle and is significant for understanding blood flow to organs but does not specifically express the pressure during contraction. Therefore, the correct identification of systolic blood pressure aligns accurately with its definition and physiological context.