Reference charts
Pulse Pressure: What It Is and What's Normal
Pulse pressure is the gap between the two numbers of a blood pressure reading: systolic minus diastolic. At a reading of 120/80 mmHg it is 40 mmHg, which reviews use as the typical resting value. This page explains the number; it does not give treatment advice.
Updated . Educational reference, not medical advice.
Pulse pressure calculator
Pulse pressure is the top number minus the bottom number of one blood pressure reading.
Pulse pressure: 40 mmHg
Between the narrowed (<25% of systolic) and widened (>100 mmHg) definitions used in the clinical review cited below. About 40 mmHg is typical at 120/80.
Educational only. A clinician reads pulse pressure alongside both blood pressure numbers, not on its own.
Reference Data
| Reading (mmHg) | Pulse pressure | How the review describes it |
|---|---|---|
| 120/80 | 40 | Typical |
| 110/70 | 40 | Typical |
| 140/90 | 50 | Typical gap, but both numbers in the stage 2 range |
| 150/70 | 80 | Wider than typical; common pattern with age |
| 100/80 | 20 | Narrowed (below 25% of systolic) |
| 200/90 | 110 | Widened (above 100) |
Source: Tang et al., J Clin Hypertens 2020; Steppan et al., Cardiol Res Pract 2011; StatPearls.
How to read this chart
Subtract the bottom number from the top. Tang and colleagues' clinical review defines a narrowed pulse pressure as less than 25% of the systolic value and a widened one as more than 100 mmHg, while stressing that it should always be read alongside the actual systolic and diastolic numbers. The rows above are worked examples, not categories from a guideline; for the categories that apply to the two numbers themselves, use the blood pressure chart.
Why pulse pressure widens with age
Both blood pressure numbers tend to rise until about age 55. After that they diverge: diastolic drifts down while systolic keeps rising, so pulse pressure widens, especially after 60. The main reason is stiffer large arteries. Elastic fibres in the aortic wall fragment and collagen and calcium build up, so the arteries buffer each heartbeat less (Steppan et al., 2011). Stiffer arteries also carry the pressure wave faster, which is why pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity are studied together.
What else changes it
The reviews list less common causes of a wide pulse pressure, such as a leaking aortic valve, an overactive thyroid and severe anaemia, and causes of a narrow one, such as a smaller amount of blood pumped per beat. Those are things a clinician works out with an examination; the number alone does not tell you which applies.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal pulse pressure?
About 40 mmHg, the gap at a reading of 120/80. The Tang 2020 review calls a pulse pressure narrowed below 25% of systolic and widened above 100 mmHg.
How do you calculate pulse pressure?
Systolic minus diastolic. A reading of 130/85 gives a pulse pressure of 45 mmHg.
Why is my pulse pressure higher as I get older?
Large arteries stiffen with age, so systolic pressure keeps rising after about 55 while diastolic tends to fall, which widens the gap.
References
- Tang KS, Medeiros ED, Shah AD. Wide pulse pressure: a clinical review. J Clin Hypertens 2020. doi.org/10.1111/jch.14051
- Steppan J, Barodka V, Berkowitz DE, Nyhan D. Vascular stiffness and increased pulse pressure in the aging cardiovascular system. Cardiol Res Pract 2011. doi.org/10.4061/2011/263585
- Homan TD, Bordes SJ, Cichowski E. Physiology, Pulse Pressure. StatPearls. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482408/