Pulse pressure is defined as the difference between which two arterial pressures?

• A. Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
• B. Mean Arterial Pressure and Diastolic Pressure
• C. Systolic Pressure and Mean Arterial Pressure
• D. Pulse Rate and Systolic Pressure

Answer: (A)

Pulse pressure measures the pressure swing in the arteries with each heartbeat. It is defined as systolic blood pressure minus diastolic blood pressure—the peak pressure during contraction minus the pressure when the heart rests between beats. This difference captures the arterial system’s expansion and recoil with each heartbeat. Mean arterial pressure is a separate average pressure over the cycle, not the range, and pulse rate is a count of heartbeats per minute, not a pressure. So the correct definition is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures.