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Medical Applications

Pulse Pressure (PP)

Definition and Calculation

Pulse Pressure is the arithmetic difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure:

PP = Systolic BP − Diastolic BP

Physiological Significance

PP reflects the interaction between left ventricular stroke volume and the compliance of the proximal arterial system. Elevated PP is a recognised independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients over 50 years of age. A widening PP over serial measurements may represent progressive arterial stiffening and warrants clinical attention even in the absence of absolute hypertension.

In the context of cardiac physiology, isolated systolic hypertension with a normal or low diastolic pressure — yielding a wide PP — is a common pattern in older patients and carries an adverse prognostic profile distinct from combined systolic-diastolic hypertension.

Reference Ranges