Mean arterial pressure is defined as which of the following?

• A. Maximum arterial pressure during systole
• B. Average pressure in a patient's arteries during one cardiac cycle
• C. Difference between systolic and diastolic pressures
• D. Arterial pressure during diastole only

Answer: (B)

Mean arterial pressure reflects the average pressure in the arterial system over the course of a single heartbeat, representing the pressure that drives blood flow to the tissues. Because the heart spends more time in diastole, MAP is not simply the midpoint of systolic and diastolic pressures; it’s typically estimated as diastolic pressure plus about one third of the pulse pressure (or equivalently, (SBP + 2*DBP)/3). This makes MAP a better indicator of overall perfusion than just the systolic pressure.

The other concepts are distinct: the maximum arterial pressure during systole is the systolic pressure; the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures is the pulse pressure; and arterial pressure during diastole only is the diastolic pressure.