Blood Pressure, Systolic Unit Converter

Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading. It measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and pumps blood out to the body.

Blood pressure is expressed as systolic over diastolic (for example, 120/80 mmHg). A normal systolic reading is less than 120 mmHg for most adults.

Systolic pressure is particularly important for assessing cardiovascular risk, especially in adults over 50. It tends to rise naturally with age as arteries become stiffer.

Systolic pressure is generated by the contraction of the heart's left ventricle, which pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and throughout the arterial system. The reading reflects both the force of this contraction and the resistance of the arterial walls.