Most people know that blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The top number is called systolic pressure, and the bottom number is called diastolic pressure.
These numbers show how hard your heart is pumping and how much resistance your arteries are giving. But there’s another number that many people don’t know about. It’s called pulse pressure, and it may be just as important for your heart health.
Pulse pressure is the difference between the top and bottom blood pressure numbers. For example, if your blood pressure is 120 over 80, then your pulse pressure is 40. It’s a simple bit of math, but this number can say a lot about how healthy your heart and arteries are.
As we age, our arteries become stiffer. When this happens, the heart has to work harder to push blood through. This extra effort can cause damage over time. A high pulse pressure—let’s say over 60—means there is a big gap between the two blood pressure numbers. That often shows your heart is under stress.
Doctors and scientists have found that a high pulse pressure is linked to a greater risk of serious heart problems, especially in older people. This includes heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
That’s because a high pulse pressure can be a warning sign that something is wrong inside the arteries. It might mean that plaque is building up, or that the arteries are becoming too stiff.
Usually, when people have high blood pressure, the goal is to bring both numbers down. But pulse pressure gives us another way to look at heart health. In some older adults, only the top number is high, while the bottom one stays normal. This is called isolated systolic hypertension. For these people, watching their pulse pressure could be very helpful.
So what can you do if your pulse pressure is high? Many of the same things that help your heart will also help lower your pulse pressure. Eating healthy food like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is a great start. Getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking are also very important.
Sometimes, doctors may prescribe medicine to help. Some drugs not only lower blood pressure but also make arteries less stiff. These include medications called ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers. These medicines may help reduce the gap between the top and bottom numbers, improving pulse pressure.
In the end, pulse pressure is just one number, but it gives doctors an extra clue about how your heart is doing. Even though it’s not talked about as often, it can tell a powerful story. By learning about your pulse pressure and making healthy choices, you can better protect your heart.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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