What is the normal value for pulmonary artery pressure (systolic/diastolic)?

• A. 25/8
• B. 30/15
• C. 15/5
• D. 40/20

Answer: (A)

Normal pulmonary artery pressures reflect the pressure the right heart must generate to push blood into the lungs. In a healthy resting adult, the systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery is typically around 20–30 mmHg and the diastolic pressure about 4–12 mmHg. A representative normal value sits near 25/8 mmHg, placing both numbers comfortably within their typical ranges. The other listed values either show a diastolic pressure that’s too high or a systolic/diastolic combination that isn’t characteristic of normal physiology, making 25/8 mmHg the best example of a normal reading.