Pulse pressure is actually related to the blood pressure. Blood pressure is one of the most commonly taken medical measurements because it is easy to obtain and gives a lot of information, both about the cardiovascular system and your overall health.
Identification
Blood pressure is typically defined in terms of two different numbers: systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the peak pressure of the blood when the heart is pumping, and diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart is at rest. The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is also known as the pulse pressure. A normal pulse pressure is approximately 60 millimeters of mercury (a unit of pressure).
Importance of Pulse Pressure
An elevated pulse pressure is considered to be a fairly accurate predictor of cardiovascular problems. According to the Magazine of Emergency Medicine, pulse pressure is an excellent way to measure cardiovascular health, especially in people over 65. An elevated pulse pressure indicates a greater risk of having a stroke or a heart attack and often indicates narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart.
Mechanism
In general, increased pulse pressure is caused by hardened arteries. Stiffer arteries cause the systolic blood pressure to increase more quickly that diastolic blood pressure. This is because stiff arteries generate more resistance when the heart is actively pumping, causing an increase in systolic pressure, but also provide less "recoil" when the heart is at rest. Because this elastic recoil from the arteries contributes to the diastolic pressure, hardening of the arteries can also cause a drop in diastolic blood pressure. Because an elevated pulse pressure is caused by hardened arteries and hardened arteries are an indicator of poor cardiovascular health, poor cardiovascular health can lead to an increased pulse pressure.
High Cholesterol
One of the leading causes of hardening of the arteries (also known as arteriosclerosis) is high levels of cholesterol. Cholesterol can be absorbed by the arteries, where it gets caught in the arterial walls. This causes the walls of the artery to bulge, which causes them to get thicker and stiffer.
Other Causes
Stiff arteries can also be caused by other conditions. One common one is exposure to nicotine. Nicotine irritates the blood vessels, which causes them to become inflamed and thickened. Diabetes also causes thickening and stiffening of the arteries, though the exact way in which this happens is not completely understood.
