systolic

American  

[si-stol-ik] / sɪˈstɒl ɪk /

adjective

1. (of blood pressure) indicating the maximum arterial pressure occurring during contraction of the left ventricle of the heart.

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Other Word Forms

• hypersystolic adjective
• postsystolic adjective
• presystolic adjective

Etymology

Origin of systolic

First recorded in 1685–95; systole + -ic

Compare meaning

How does systolic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• systolic vs. diastolic

Example Sentences

They used this information to model lifetime health outcomes, including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, for patients with systolic blood pressure targets of <120 mm Hg, <130 mm Hg, and <140 mm Hg.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

Patients taking the drug showed improvements across cardiovascular risk factors, as well, including non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and systolic blood pressure, Eli Lilly said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

On Oct.12, Plasencia injected Perry with a "large dose" that led the actor to experience an "adverse medical reaction," spiking his systolic blood pressure.

From Salon • Aug. 16, 2024

Male mice with normal levels of the Olfr558 receptor typically had diastolic and systolic blood pressure 10 points higher than female mice.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2024

His chest exam, heart exam, and ECG are normal, and his systolic blood pressure is 165, meaning it doesn’t qualify as an urgent factor.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell