Answer:
Systolic and diastolic, respectively
Explanation:
Blood pressure readings measured using a sphygmomanometer -- the term for the device composed of the blood pressure cuff, the accompanying gauge and sometimes a balloon pump -- are reported and recorded as a fraction.
The numerator is a systolic reading. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) represents the maximum amount of force that the heart is exerting as the bottom chambers, called ventricles, propel blood out of their chambers and into either pulmonary circulation or the systemic vasculature; this is known as a contraction.
The denominator is a diastolic reading. The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) represents the relaxation period following ventricular contraction, during which the top chambers, known as the atria (singular: atrium), fill the ventricles with blood to prepare for the next systolic cycle.
In short, the top number is the systolic reading and bottom number is the diastolic reading. The systolic should always be larger than the diastolic.
Blood pressure is measured as systolic over diastolic readings, with normal ranges typically being less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic.
Blood pressure is recorded as a fraction; the systolic reading is the numerator (top number) and the diastolic reading is the denominator (bottom number). When measuring blood pressure, a healthcare provider will often use a device called a sphygmomanometer, which includes a cuff that is inflated to constrict the brachial artery. The systolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle contracts and propels blood into the arteries, while diastolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. Healthy blood pressure ranges generally include a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
