In blood pressure measurement, what does diastolic represent?

Diastolic blood pressure represents the lowest pressure in the arteries, occurring when the heart is at rest between beats. This phase of relaxation allows the heart chambers to fill with blood, and during this time, the arterial pressure decreases as the blood flows more freely through the vessels. The measurement of diastolic pressure is crucial because it indicates how much pressure the blood exerts against the artery walls when the heart is not actively pumping.

Understanding diastolic pressure helps in evaluating cardiovascular health, as excessively high diastolic readings may indicate increased resistance in the arteries or high blood volume. In this context, it is essential to recognize that the other choices relate to different aspects of blood pressure measurement; for instance, peak pressure and pressure during contraction refer to systolic blood pressure, and average pressure refers to mean arterial pressure, which incorporates both systolic and diastolic readings.