Systolic vs. Diastolic Blood Pressure
What is systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure? Give an account of factors that maintain blood pressure.
Answer:
Definition:
1. Systolic Blood Pressure:
- It is defined as the maximum pressure exerted in the arteries during systole of the heart.
Normal value: - 120 mm Hg.
- It ranges between 100-130 mm Hg.
2. Diastolic blood pressure:
- It is defined as the minimum pressure exerted in the arteries during diastole of the heart.
Normal value: - 80 mm Hg
- It ranges between 70 – 85 mm Hg.
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3. Pulse pressures:
- It is the difference between the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.
Normal values:- 40 mm Hg.
Factors maintaining blood pressure:
1. Central factors:
Cardiac output:
Effect on blood pressure:
- Systolic pressure is directly proportional to the cardiac output.
- Thus, increases in cardiac output, increases systolic pressure.
- If increase in cardiac output is due to increase in heart rate, it increases diastolic blood pressure.
- If increase in cardiac output is due to increase in stroke volume, it increases systolic blood pressure.
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2. Peripheral factors:
1. Peripheral resistance:
Definition:
- It is the resistance by which blood has to overcome while passing through the periphery.
Effect on blood pressure: - The diastolic pressure in directly proportional to peripheral resistance
- It depends on.
- Velocity of blood.
- Peripheral resistance is directly proportional to the velocity of blood.
- Viscocity of blood.
- When the viscosity of blood increases it offers more resistance.
- Blood volume,
- If the blood volume is more, it increases venous return and cardiac output.
- This increases blood pressure.
- Elasticity of the vessel wall.
- Total peripheraì resistance is inversely proportional to the elasticity of vessel wall.
- Velocity of blood.
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2. Venous return:
- Blood pressure is directly proportional to venous
- When venous return increases there is increases in ventricular filling and cardiac output.
- This, in turn increasses blood pressure.

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