Final answer:
Systolic pressure measures peak arterial pressure during heart contraction, while diastolic pressure measures the pressure during heart relaxation. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average arterial pressure, providing an important measure of vascular health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressures
Systolic pressure is the higher value (typically around 120 mm Hg) and represents the peak pressure in the arteries, which occurs during the contraction of the heart's ventricles (ventricular systole). In contrast, diastolic pressure is the lower value (usually about 80 mm Hg) and denotes the pressure in the arteries when the heart is in a state of relaxation and dilation (ventricular diastole).
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)
Mean arterial pressure is an important concept that reflects the average pressure of blood in the arteries throughout the cardiac cycle. While it can be complex to measure directly, MAP can be estimated by adding the diastolic pressure to one-third of the pulse pressure, which is calculated as the systolic pressure minus the diastolic pressure. This is a crucial measure in understanding vascular health and perfusion of bodily tissues.