Blood Pressure — ECG/EKG Terminology

Definition: The pressure of the blood within the arteries, produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. Measured as systolic over diastolic pressure. Elevation is called hypertension.

Key Facts

• Systolic pressure reflects ejection force; diastolic pressure reflects vascular tone and runoff.
• Blood pressure is a key indicator of effective perfusion and cardiac output.
• Both hypotension and severe hypertension can destabilize rhythm and perfusion.

ECG Connection: Telemetry interpretation should be paired with blood-pressure trends to assess clinical impact.

Why It Matters: A rhythm that appears stable may still be clinically unstable if pressure is falling.