A patient's blood pressure is 118/82 mm Hg. He asks the nurse, "What do the numbers mean?" Which is the best reply by the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The systolic pressure is the maximum pressure felt on the artery during left ventricular contraction, or systole. The diastolic pressure is the elastic recoil, or resting, pressure that the blood constantly exerts in between each contraction. The nurse should answer the patient's question and use terms he can understand. The nurse should answer the patient's question in terms they can understand and not just say it is normal and there is nothing to worry about. The diastolic pressure is the pressure in the vessels when the heart is at rest, not the stroke volume.

A Patient's Blood Pressure Is 118/82 Mm Hg