What does systolic blood pressure indicate about the heart?

Systolic blood pressure is the measurement taken when the heart contracts and pumps blood into the arteries, producing the highest pressure in the arterial system. This phase of the cardiac cycle is known as systole, specifically when the ventricles of the heart contract. Therefore, a higher systolic blood pressure indicates that the heart is effectively pumping blood to supply the body's organs and tissues with oxygen and nutrients.

In contrast, diastolic blood pressure, which is measured when the heart is at rest between beats, does not reflect the action of the heart pumping. While other options refer to different states of the heart (such as resting, failing, or filling), they do not pertain to the actual function indicated by systolic pressure, which is inherently linked to the active pumping mechanism of the heart.