In the context of blood pressure, mmHg is a unit of measurement for what?

The correct answer is that mmHg is a unit of measurement for pressure. The term mmHg stands for millimeters of mercury, which is a standard unit used to measure blood pressure. It reflects how high a column of mercury rises in a tube when pressure is applied. This method of measurement dates back to early physiologic studies and is still in use today in various medical contexts, particularly for assessing blood pressure.

In blood pressure readings, the two values reported—systolic and diastolic—are both expressed in mmHg, indicating the pressure exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Understanding this is crucial for assessing cardiovascular health and interpreting laboratory results in a clinical setting.