Which vital sign assesses the force of blood against the artery walls?

Blood pressure is the vital sign that specifically measures the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. It is expressed as two numbers: systolic pressure (the pressure when the heart beats) and diastolic pressure (the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats). Monitoring blood pressure is crucial because it provides insights into cardiovascular health; abnormal levels can indicate conditions such as hypertension or hypotension.

The other vital signs, while also important for assessing overall health, serve different functions. For instance, the respiratory rate indicates how many breaths a person takes in a minute and reflects respiratory function. Heart rate measures the number of times the heart beats in a minute, which can indicate cardiovascular efficiency but does not directly assess blood flow against arterial walls. Temperature gauges body heat and can indicate infection or other health issues but is unrelated to blood circulation dynamics.