blood pressure

blood pressure   n.   Abbr. BP The pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries. It varies with the strength of the heartbeat, the elasticity of the arterial walls, the volume and viscosity of the blood, and a person's health, age, and physical condition.

blood pressure

The pressure of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries. It is expressed in two figures, said to be one “over” the other: the systolic pressure, which is the pressure when the left ventricle of the heart contracts to push the blood through the body; and the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure when the ventricle relaxes and fills with blood. Blood pressure is affected by the strength of the heartbeat, the volume of blood in the body, the elasticity of the blood vessels, and the age and general health of the person. (See circulatory system.)

Main Entry: blood pressure
Function: noun
: pressure exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels and especially arteries, usually measured on the radialartery by means of a sphygmomanometer, and expressed in millimeters of mercury either as a fraction having as numerator the maximum pressure that follows systole of the left ventricle of the heart andas denominator the minimum pressure that accompanies cardiac diastole or as a whole number representing the first value only blood pressure of ¹²⁰/₈₀> blood pressure of 120> —abbreviation BP

blood pressure n.

Abbr. BP, B.P. The pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries, maintained by the contraction of the left ventricle, the resistance of the arterioles and capillaries, the elasticity of the arterial walls, and by the viscosity and volume of the blood. Also called arteriotony.