Question

What is blood pressure? What is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure?

Answer 1

Hint:-Blood is a bodily fluid that plays an important role in the delivery of necessary nutrients and oxygen to the cells and is also involved in the transport of metabolic wastes away from the cells. Blood is composed of platelets and plasma.

Complete step-by-step solution:-
Blood pressure is the pressure created by circulating blood against the blood vessels wall. It can also be defined as the measurement of the force exerted by the blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessel. The pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The instrument used to measure blood pressure is a sphygmomanometer.
The blood pressure readings are given in terms of two numbers. The top number is the systolic pressure whereas the lower number is the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure represents the amount of pressure that is applied to the walls of the artery during the contraction of the heart muscles. The diastolic pressure is the pressure that is measured in the arteries when the heart is at rest during the beats. During this time interval, the heart will be filled with oxygen and blood. The normal diastolic blood pressure is 80. Systole occurs when the heart is at its contraction state whereas diastole occurs when the heart is at the relaxed condition. The normal blood pressure level is 120/80.

Note:- If the blood pressure level is higher than normal, then it is referred to as high BP or hypertension. If it is less than the normal, then it is referred to as low BP or hypotension. The symptoms of high blood pressure include headaches, blurred vision and shortness of breath. The symptoms of low blood pressure include nausea, fainting and dehydration.