Final answer:
The statement is true; systolic pressure is indeed the highest pressure in the arteries, occurring when the left ventricle contracts to pump blood during the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or False: Systolic pressure is the highest point reached during the contraction of the left ventricle.
The statement is True. Systolic pressure represents the maximum pressure in the arteries during the ventricular contraction phase of the cardiac cycle when the left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta. The systolic pressure is typically around 120 mm Hg in a healthy adult and indicates the force with which the heart is pumping blood into the systemic circuit.
During systole, as the left ventricle contracts, it pushes blood through the aortic valve into the aorta and the rest of the arterial system. This increase in blood ejection causes the arterial walls to stretch and leads to the highest arterial pressure measured during the cardiac cycle. After this phase, when the heart relaxes, the pressure in the arteries falls, bringing us to the diastolic pressure.