The top number on a blood pressure reading indicates:

The top number in a blood pressure reading represents systolic pressure, which is the measure of the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. This is the point at which the heart contracts and pumps blood out into the vessels. Systolic pressure is important because it reflects how well the heart is functioning during those beats and the overall health of the cardiovascular system.

In contrast, the diastolic pressure, which is the bottom number, indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats. Understanding the difference between these two measures is essential for assessing a person's cardiovascular health.

Transient pressure and optimum pressure are not standard terms used in blood pressure readings, which helps clarify why they are not relevant to the top number of the reading. Recognizing that systolic pressure is a critical measure for diagnosing hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions is key for healthcare providers.