Question

If your blood pressure were 120/70, it would mean that ________.

A) you have high blood pressure
B) your blood pressure during systole is 120 and your blood pressure during diastole is 70
C) you have low blood pressure
D) your blood pressure during systole is 120 and your heart rate is 70.

Answer 1

A blood pressure reading of 120/70 means that the systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg during heart contraction and the diastolic pressure is 70 mm Hg during heart relaxation, indicating a normal range of blood pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

If your blood pressure were 120/70, it means that your blood pressure during systole is 120 and your blood pressure during diastole is 70. This indicates a reading where the systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg, which is the pressure during the contraction of the heart, and the diastolic pressure is 70 mm Hg, which is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. The given values fall within the range considered to be a normal blood pressure, thus, it does not imply that you have high or low blood pressure, nor does it indicate your heart rate. Instead, it suggests that the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries is within a healthy range during both the contraction and relaxation phases of the heart cycle.