Systolic (mmHg)

Diastolic (mmHg)

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General estimate for planning only — not medical advice. Consult a doctor about your specific situation.

Calculation details

Every figure above is calculated locally in your browser from the assumptions shown. No inputs are sent anywhere. See the methodology section below for how this tool works.

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Pulse pressure examples at rest, after walking, and across different readings — Resting 118/76 gives a 42 mmHg pulse pressure.

Method & verification

How This Tool Works

fact-checked against our calculation methodology

Calculation Method

Pulse pressure = Systolic - Diastolic

Site methodology

BoringToolsKit methodology and verification standard

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Assumptions to Verify

These tools provide general estimates for planning and education only.
They are not medical advice and not a substitute for a qualified healthcare professional.
Always consult your doctor or another healthcare provider about your specific situation.

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A worked example, digit by digit

Take a reading of 118 over 76 mmHg. Pulse pressure is systolic minus diastolic: 118 - 76 = 42 mmHg. That lands in the 40 to 60 mmHg band the calculator treats as typical at rest, so the note stays neutral.

Now the same person after a brisk walk: 142 over 78 mmHg. The arithmetic is 142 - 78 = 64 mmHg. The systolic number rose 24 mmHg while the diastolic barely moved, because the heart is pushing more blood per beat and the arteries briefly stretch to absorb it. The calculator flags 64 as wide, which is expected after exercise and not by itself a concern.

The gap is what matters, not the size of either number. A 150/110 reading has pulse pressure of just 40 mmHg (150 - 110), while a 110/70 reading has 40 mmHg too (110 - 70). Two very different blood pressures, one identical pulse pressure, because the formula only sees the difference.

Where a single reading misleads

Home cuff error runs about plus or minus 5 to 8 mmHg, and it hits both numbers. A measured 124 over 82 could truly be 118 over 88, swinging pulse pressure from 42 to 30 mmHg with no change in the person. The validation window in the tool (systolic 50 to 300, diastolic 30 to 200) is generous for that reason, but it cannot fix a sloppy cuff: wrong cuff size alone shifts readings by 5 to 15 mmHg.

Width has opposite meanings at different ages. In a 30 year old, resting pulse pressure above 60 mmHg is uncommon and worth investigating. In an 80 year old, arteries stiffen and a reading of 155 over 65 (pulse pressure 90 mmHg) is routine; the same 90 mmHg in a 25 year old would be a genuine red flag. The tool applies one threshold to everyone, so age context is on you.

Practical rule: a single reading is a data point, not a diagnosis. Average morning and evening readings across a week, and treat a persistent pattern, not one number, as the thing to raise with a doctor.