Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReadingsCausesEffects and RisksSymptomsCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Readings
Causes
Effects and Risks
Symptoms
Coping
A widepulse pressureis when the difference between the top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic) of yourblood pressurereading is more than 100 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) apart.Older adults and high-performance athletes often experience wide pulse pressure.
This article explains additional causes of wide pulse pressure and what it means for your health.
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Wide Pulse Pressure Range: Understanding Readings
Your blood pressure comprises two numbers—systolic and diastolic pressure—measured in millimeters of mercury—and indicate the following:
Calculating Pulse PressureA healthy blood pressure is 120/80 mmvHg or less. Using this number as an example, this is how you calculate pulse pressure: 120 minus 80 equals 40. So, a person with a blood pressure reading of 120/80 has a pulse pressure of 40 mm Hg.
Calculating Pulse Pressure
A healthy blood pressure is 120/80 mmvHg or less. Using this number as an example, this is how you calculate pulse pressure: 120 minus 80 equals 40. So, a person with a blood pressure reading of 120/80 has a pulse pressure of 40 mm Hg.
A wide pulse pressure refers to a difference of 100 mmHg or higher between those two numbers. However, some healthcare providers believe a difference of 60 mm Hg or higher is significant and may indicate worsening heart health.
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Possible Causes of Wide Pulse Pressure
Potential causes of a wide pulse pressure include:
Certain conditions are thought to contribute to a wide pulse pressure as well, including the following:
Wide Pulse Pressure Effects (and Risks)
A wide pulse pressure may indicate higher risk for certain health problems, including:
Where to Get Your Blood Pressure CheckedThere are a few places to get your blood pressure checked:At a healthcare provider’s officeAt a pharmacy that has a self-kiosk for a blood pressure checkAt home, using ablood pressure monitorWhen your blood pressure is measured, sit with your legs flat on the floor. Don’t talk while your blood pressure is being taken. Use the bathroom ahead of time. Don’t drink or eat for 30 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
Where to Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
There are a few places to get your blood pressure checked:At a healthcare provider’s officeAt a pharmacy that has a self-kiosk for a blood pressure checkAt home, using ablood pressure monitorWhen your blood pressure is measured, sit with your legs flat on the floor. Don’t talk while your blood pressure is being taken. Use the bathroom ahead of time. Don’t drink or eat for 30 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
There are a few places to get your blood pressure checked:
When your blood pressure is measured, sit with your legs flat on the floor. Don’t talk while your blood pressure is being taken. Use the bathroom ahead of time. Don’t drink or eat for 30 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
Does Everyone With Wide Pulse Pressure Have Symptoms?
Not everyone with a wide pulse pressure will experience symptoms. The most significant indication that you have wide pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic numbers.
Many people with high blood pressure, sometimes associated with wide pulse pressure, will not have any symptoms either.The only way to know if you have high blood pressure or wide pulse pressure is to check your blood pressure regularly.
Like wide pulse pressure, high blood pressure may not have any symptoms. When they do appear, symptoms of high blood pressure include:
Another sign of high blood pressure is the development of more severe health problems such as chronic kidney disease, eye damage, heart attack, and stroke. These may occur if high blood pressure remains uncontrolled or untreated.
What Is Abnormal Blood Pressure?
Living With Wide Pulse Pressure: Treatment and Management
Your healthcare provider may not recommend a specific treatment if you have wide pulse pressure. Pulse pressure is not used as widely as other measures to assess heart health. This may change as more research identifies pulse pressure as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
If you have high blood pressure in addition to a wide pulse pressure, your healthcare provider may prescribe one or more types ofmedication, including:
There also arelifestyle changesyou can make to help manage high blood pressure, including:
Summary
Wide pulse pressure is a difference of more than 100 mmHG between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Causes of wide pulse pressure include advanced age, stiffening of the arteries, being a well-trained athlete, and smoking. A wide pulse pressure can be associated with certain types of heart disease as well as hyperthyroidism, dementia, and physical weakness.
A healthcare provider may not recommend specific treatments for wide pulse pressure unless you have high blood pressure, too.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tang KS, Medeiros ED, Shah AD.Wide pulse pressure: a clinical review.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2020;22(11):1960-1967. doi:10.1111/jch.14051American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.National Institute on Drug Abuse.Is nicotine addictive?Luehrs RE, Zhang D, Pierce GL, Jacobs DR Jr, Kalhan R, Whitaker KM.Cigarette smoking and longitudinal associations with blood pressure: the CARDIA study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(9):e019566. doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.019566Levin RA, Carnegie MH, Celermajer DS.Pulse pressure: an emerging therapeutic target for dementia.Front Neurosci. 2020;14:669. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00669Pleiss A, Jurivich D, Dahl L, McGrath B, Kin D, McGrath R.The associations of pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure on physical function in older Americans.Geriatrics (Basel).2023;8(2):40.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measure your blood pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High blood pressure symptoms and causes.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure symptoms.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure treatment.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tang KS, Medeiros ED, Shah AD.Wide pulse pressure: a clinical review.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2020;22(11):1960-1967. doi:10.1111/jch.14051American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.National Institute on Drug Abuse.Is nicotine addictive?Luehrs RE, Zhang D, Pierce GL, Jacobs DR Jr, Kalhan R, Whitaker KM.Cigarette smoking and longitudinal associations with blood pressure: the CARDIA study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(9):e019566. doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.019566Levin RA, Carnegie MH, Celermajer DS.Pulse pressure: an emerging therapeutic target for dementia.Front Neurosci. 2020;14:669. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00669Pleiss A, Jurivich D, Dahl L, McGrath B, Kin D, McGrath R.The associations of pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure on physical function in older Americans.Geriatrics (Basel).2023;8(2):40.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measure your blood pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High blood pressure symptoms and causes.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure symptoms.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure treatment.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tang KS, Medeiros ED, Shah AD.Wide pulse pressure: a clinical review.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2020;22(11):1960-1967. doi:10.1111/jch.14051American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.National Institute on Drug Abuse.Is nicotine addictive?Luehrs RE, Zhang D, Pierce GL, Jacobs DR Jr, Kalhan R, Whitaker KM.Cigarette smoking and longitudinal associations with blood pressure: the CARDIA study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(9):e019566. doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.019566Levin RA, Carnegie MH, Celermajer DS.Pulse pressure: an emerging therapeutic target for dementia.Front Neurosci. 2020;14:669. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00669Pleiss A, Jurivich D, Dahl L, McGrath B, Kin D, McGrath R.The associations of pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure on physical function in older Americans.Geriatrics (Basel).2023;8(2):40.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measure your blood pressure.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High blood pressure symptoms and causes.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure symptoms.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure treatment.
Tang KS, Medeiros ED, Shah AD.Wide pulse pressure: a clinical review.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2020;22(11):1960-1967. doi:10.1111/jch.14051
American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.Is nicotine addictive?
Luehrs RE, Zhang D, Pierce GL, Jacobs DR Jr, Kalhan R, Whitaker KM.Cigarette smoking and longitudinal associations with blood pressure: the CARDIA study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(9):e019566. doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.019566
Levin RA, Carnegie MH, Celermajer DS.Pulse pressure: an emerging therapeutic target for dementia.Front Neurosci. 2020;14:669. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00669
Pleiss A, Jurivich D, Dahl L, McGrath B, Kin D, McGrath R.The associations of pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure on physical function in older Americans.Geriatrics (Basel).2023;8(2):40.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measure your blood pressure.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High blood pressure symptoms and causes.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure symptoms.
American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.High blood pressure treatment.
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