What is diastolic pressure?

Diastolic pressure refers to the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. This period allows the heart to fill with blood before the next contraction. During diastole, the ventricles of the heart relax, and blood flows from the atria into the ventricles as well as from the arteries into the surrounding tissues. This is the lowest arterial pressure measured during the cardiac cycle and is crucial for understanding cardiovascular health.

It is typically assessed alongside systolic pressure, which is the pressure during heart contraction. Together, these measurements give insight into the overall function of the heart and the state of the circulatory system. The diastolic pressure helps gauge the “resting” state of the circulatory system and is vital for evaluating conditions like hypertension.

The other options focus on different aspects of blood pressure that do not specifically define diastolic pressure, illustrating its unique role in cardiovascular assessments.