In the MAP approximation MAP ≈ (SBP + 2×DBP)/3, which component is weighted more heavily?

• A. Diastolic pressure
• B. Systolic pressure
• C. Pulse pressure
• D. Mean arterial pressure

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how mean arterial pressure (MAP) is approximated and why one pressure component has more influence than the other. The formula MAP ≈ (SBP + 2×DBP) / 3 shows that diastolic pressure is weighted more heavily. That’s because the heart spends a longer portion of the cardiac cycle in diastole than in systole, so the arterial pressure during diastole has a greater impact on the overall average pressure. The 2× for diastolic pressure reflects this longer time, while systolic pressure is included once. For example, with SBP 120 and DBP 80, MAP ≈ (120 + 160) / 3 ≈ 93 mmHg, illustrating how the diastolic value pulls the average toward itself. The other terms in the question (pulse pressure and MAP as a value) aren’t components weighted in this formula.