Some of my blood pressure readings are kind of far apart. Many of my blood pressure readings are 110s-120s/50s-60s, which is usually a 60ish pulse pressure.

Is pulse pressure an important thing, or is it just one of those "nit-picking" health topics? Just wondering, because sometimes my pulse pressure is higher than what is considered "normal". I heard normal pulse pressure is 40-50. Thanks.

Joe

I also heard that a normal pulse pressure is around 40. I'm not sure how important it is, but I researched it online and one website stated that it is worse to have a high pulse pressure than high blood pressure. For example, if you BP is 180/140 I read that is safer than having a BP reading of 130/70 because the pulse pressure is too high.

I'm not sure how true this information is, but it makes you wonder :confused: I think I'll ask my Dr. next time I visit.

130/70 is MUCH better than 180/140

on the lower reading (systolic?) if it is above 90 then it could be an indicator of underlying hypertension. a reading of 140 is very bad

Just for the information, the higher number is systolic, and the lower number is diastolic.

I did some research that a big gap with pulse pressure means there might be a wide or hardened artery, which indicates heart problems. Still, I'm not sure whether pulse pressure is that big a deal, because my blood pressure is still good. I'm just a bit uncertain, though.

Thanks.

Joe

I think pulse pressure is highly overrated. After all, a stroke would occur when a weak blood vessel "blows" and that has to happen only at the systolic.

Researchers don't make much of the concept of "pulse pressure." As we age systolics tend to go higher probaaly as a result of "hardening" and diastolics tend to go lower probably as a result of a weaker heart muscle. I don't think you can take it much farther than that.