A present radial pulse indicates a systolic blood pressure of at least how many mmHg?

• A. 60 mmHg
• B. 70 mmHg
• C. 80 mmHg
• D. 90 mmHg

Answer: (C)

A palpable radial pulse indicates the systolic blood pressure is at least about 80 mmHg. The radial artery at the wrist needs a certain pressure to push blood out to the periphery, and around 80 mmHg is the commonly used threshold where the pulse can be felt. If the systolic pressure falls below this, the radial pulse often becomes impalpable, even though other sites may still have a pulse. So, 80 mmHg is the minimum value that would produce a present radial pulse. The lower options are typically below this threshold, while a higher value would also show a pulse but isn’t the minimum.