Systolic:Theblood pressurewhen the heart is contracting. It is specifically the maximum arterial pressure duringcontractionof the勒ft ventricleof the heart. The time at whichventricularcontraction occurs is calledsystole.
Inabloodpressure reading, thesystolicpressure is typically the first number recorded. For example, with a blood pressure of 120/80 ("120 over 80"), the systolic pressure is 120. By "120" is meant 120mmHg(millimeters of mercury).
A systolicmurmuris a heart murmur heard during systole, the time the heart contracts, between the normal first and second heart sounds.
"Systolic" comes from the Greeksystolemeaning "a drawing together or a contraction." The term has been in use since the 16th century to denote the contraction of theheart muscle.
