What Is Pulse Pressure and Why It Matters
Pulse pressure is the gap between your systolic and diastolic numbers — systolic minus diastolic. For a 120/80 reading, that's a pulse pressure of 40. It's a number most people never look at, but it can add useful context to a single reading.
What to know about pulse pressure
How it's calculated
Pulse pressure = systolic − diastolic. A 120/80 reading has a pulse pressure of 40; a 140/70 reading has a pulse pressure of 70.
What's considered typical
A pulse pressure around 40 mmHg is generally considered typical for a healthy resting adult, though this varies by individual.
What a wide pulse pressure can mean
A consistently wide gap (systolic much higher than diastolic) is often associated with stiffer arteries, and is more common with age.
Why it's easy to miss
Most monitors don't display pulse pressure directly — you have to do the subtraction yourself, or track it in an app that calculates it automatically.
What Is Pulse Pressure and Why It Matters — FAQ
Does CardiLog calculate pulse pressure for me?
Yes. Every reading you log automatically calculates Pulse Pressure alongside Mean Arterial Pressure, with no extra math required.
Is a wide pulse pressure something to worry about on its own?
A single wide reading usually isn't cause for alarm, but a consistent pattern over time is worth bringing up with your doctor. CardiLog isn't a medical device and can't interpret your specific results.
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Your doctor checks your BP twice a year. CardiLog watches it every day.
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