What is the term for the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure?

What is the term for the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure?

• A. Pulse pressure
• B. Mean arterial pressure
• C. Cardiac output
• D. Blood pressure

Answer: (A)

Pulse pressure is the difference between the pressure when the heart contracts (systolic) and the pressure when the heart relaxes (diastolic). It’s calculated by subtracting diastolic pressure from systolic pressure. For example, a typical reading like 120/80 mmHg has a pulse pressure of 40 mmHg. This value gives insight into how strongly the heart is pushing blood and how flexible the arteries are. A normal pulse pressure is around 40 mmHg, but it can widen with aging or arterial stiffness, which can be a marker of cardiovascular risk. The other terms aren’t about the difference: mean arterial pressure is the average pressure in the arteries over the cardiac cycle, cardiac output is how much blood the heart pumps per minute, and blood pressure refers to the overall measure of the two numbers (systolic and diastolic) together.

Pulse pressure is the difference between the pressure when the heart contracts (systolic) and the pressure when the heart relaxes (diastolic). It’s calculated by subtracting diastolic pressure from systolic pressure. For example, a typical reading like 120/80 mmHg has a pulse pressure of 40 mmHg. This value gives insight into how strongly the heart is pushing blood and how flexible the arteries are. A normal pulse pressure is around 40 mmHg, but it can widen with aging or arterial stiffness, which can be a marker of cardiovascular risk. The other terms aren’t about the difference: mean arterial pressure is the average pressure in the arteries over the cardiac cycle, cardiac output is how much blood the heart pumps per minute, and blood pressure refers to the overall measure of the two numbers (systolic and diastolic) together.