CPNRE Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Ace Your Canadian Practical Nurse Registration!

Systolic pressure is defined as the peak pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. This contraction, known as systole, forces blood into the aorta and thus generates the highest pressure that occurs in the arteries as the heart pumps blood. Understanding this definition is crucial as it forms part of the blood pressure measurement, which is typically expressed as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure (e.g., 120/80 mmHg).

In terms of the other choices, the option regarding heart relaxation refers to diastolic pressure, which occurs when the heart is not contracting and the chambers are filling with blood. The option mentioning the lowest pressure refers to diastolic pressure as well, which is recorded when the heart is at rest. Lastly, the average pressure over time relates to mean arterial pressure, which gives an overall indication of the blood flow to organs rather than the pulse created by systolic contraction.