Systolic pressure is the pressure of blood against theartery walls when the heart has just finished contracting or pumping out blood.(Diastolic pressure is the pressure of blood against the artery walls betweenheartbeats, when the heart is relaxed and filling with blood.)

Systolic blood pressure is the upper number of a bloodpressure reading. For example, if a person's systolic pressure is 120 millimetersof mercury (mm Hg) and the diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg, blood pressureis recorded as 120/80 and read as "120 over 80."