How can diastolic blood pressure be defined?

Diastolic blood pressure is defined as the pressure in the arteries and blood vessels when the heart is at rest, specifically during the relaxation phase between heartbeats. This is when the heart fills with blood, and the arterial walls are at their lowest pressure. Understanding diastolic blood pressure is crucial in assessing cardiovascular health, as it illustrates how well the arteries can handle blood flow and maintain pressure when the heart is not actively pumping.

In contrast to this, the other options refer to different aspects of blood pressure: the pressure during heart contraction is indicative of systolic blood pressure, the average pressure over a cardiac cycle represents mean arterial pressure, and maximum pressure during beating pertains to the peak of systolic blood pressure. Thus, the definition that aligns with diastolic blood pressure focuses on the resting state of the heart and the arterial pressure during that phase.