pulse pressure

Reference interval

30-50 mm Hg

Clinical significance

• single best blood pressure measure in predicting mortality in older people*
• strong predictor of peripheral arterial disease*
• inverse correlation with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)*

* huge study, adults 30 years or older, 5 years follow-up

* association with AAA may be more with increased diastolic BP than pulse pressure

* lowest mortality with systolic pressure < 130 mm Hg & diastolic pressure 80-89 mm Hg

Increases

• aortic insufficiency
• atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
  • a wider pulse pressure may be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality

Decreases

• cardiac tamponade

More general terms

• blood pressure (BP)