Which chamber pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body under high pressure?

• A. Systolic pressure
• B. Diastolic pressure
• C. Mean arterial pressure
• D. Pulse pressure

Answer: (A)

The chamber that pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body is the left ventricle. When it contracts, it ejects blood into the aorta, generating the highest pressure in the arteries during that beat. This peak pressure is called systolic pressure. So, the term that best matches the moment of high-pressure ejection is systolic pressure, because it describes the pressure produced during the ventricle’s contraction. The other terms describe different aspects: diastolic pressure is the lower pressure during relaxation, mean arterial pressure is an average level over the cycle, and pulse pressure is the numerical difference between systolic and diastolic pressures.