Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate pulse pressure from systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
40 mmHg
Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure -- a standard cardiovascular metric. A normal pulse pressure is roughly 40 mmHg; consistently elevated readings (commonly cited as above 60 mmHg) are sometimes flagged as a marker of arterial stiffness.
Enter your systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure readings. Pulse pressure appears instantly, flagged if elevated.
Pulse Pressure = Systolic - Diastolic
This tool performs simple arithmetic on readings you provide -- it does not measure blood pressure itself, and it's not a diagnostic tool. Consult a healthcare provider about any blood pressure concerns.
A reading of 120 over 80 gives a pulse pressure of 120 - 80 = 40 mmHg, which the tool shows without a flag. A reading of 150 over 70 gives 80 mmHg, which exceeds the 60 mmHg threshold the tool uses, so the label changes to "Pulse Pressure (Elevated)." A reading of exactly 130 over 70 is 60 mmHg and is not flagged, because the tool marks values strictly greater than 60. A reading of 100 over 70 gives 30 mmHg, which the tool simply reports as 30 without any label, since it only flags high values.
Pulse pressure = Systolic - Diastolic. Flagged as elevated when the result is greater than 60 mmHg
Because pulse pressure is systolic minus diastolic, it changes whenever either number changes. If systolic climbs while diastolic stays the same, the gap widens. If diastolic drops while systolic stays the same, it also widens. That is why two people with the same top number can have very different pulse pressures. The number on its own does not say which of the two readings is responsible, so it should be read together with the full blood pressure values and not in isolation.
The 60 mmHg cutoff is a simplified screening threshold used by this tool, not a diagnosis. Clinicians interpret pulse pressure in context, including age, medications, heart conditions, and repeated measurements. Individual variation is real: athletes, older adults, and people with certain conditions may have values that look unusual yet are well understood by their doctors. A low value can also matter in some situations, and this tool does not flag it. If you see a repeatedly elevated or unusual figure, or you have symptoms such as chest pain, severe headache, fainting, or shortness of breath, contact a healthcare professional. In an emergency, seek urgent care rather than using a calculator.
It is useful for organizing home readings before an appointment, for understanding the terms your clinician uses, and for checking your own arithmetic. If you keep a log, adding a pulse pressure column can help you spot patterns to raise with your doctor. This page is educational and does not replace medical advice.
It's one of several metrics clinicians may consider alongside overall blood pressure when assessing cardiovascular health, particularly arterial stiffness in some contexts.
Roughly 40 mmHg is commonly cited as typical; consistently elevated readings above ~60 mmHg are sometimes flagged for further evaluation, though interpretation should come from a healthcare provider.
Can be in some clinical contexts (e.g. certain heart conditions) -- any blood pressure concern, high or low, should be discussed with a healthcare provider rather than self-diagnosed.
The tool requires both values to be above zero and the systolic value to be higher than the diastolic. If they are swapped or equal, nothing is calculated.
No. The flag appears only when pulse pressure is above 60 mmHg, so exactly 60 is shown without the label.
No, it only computes the difference between the two readings. Blood pressure categories require the individual values and a clinician's judgment.
An average of several calm, properly taken readings is generally more representative than a single measurement, which can vary considerably.
Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention