Calculating your pulse pressure is straightforward once you know the Pulse Pressure formula and what each input means. This guide explains the method in plain language, walks through a manual calculation, and gives worked examples you can follow — then you can do it instantly with the Pulse Pressure Calculator.
What is Pulse Pressure?
The Pulse Pressure calculation tells you your pulse pressure from a few simple inputs. The figure you are solving for here is the pulse pressure.
The Pulse Pressure formula
The core formula is:
Pulse pressure = Systolic pressure - Diastolic pressureHere is what each input means:
- Systolic pressure — a value measured in mmHg. Example: 120 mmHg.
- Diastolic pressure — a value measured in mmHg. Example: 80 mmHg.
How to calculate it step by step
- Write down the systolic pressure (for example, 120 mmHg).
- Write down the diastolic pressure (for example, 80 mmHg).
- Apply the formula above to get your pulse pressure.
- Double-check the result with the Pulse Pressure Calculator.
Worked examples
Example 1
| Input / Output | Value |
|---|---|
| Systolic pressure | 120 mmHg |
| Diastolic pressure | 80 mmHg |
| Pulse pressure | 40 |
With systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg, the pulse pressure works out to 40.
Example 2
With systolic pressure of 240 mmHg and diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg, the pulse pressure works out to 160.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pulse pressure | 160 |
Example 3
With systolic pressure of 60 mmHg and diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg, the pulse pressure works out to -20.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pulse pressure | -20 |
Tips for an accurate result
- Keep your units consistent — mixing, say, months with years or grams with kilograms is the most common source of error.
- Round only at the very end. Rounding inputs early can shift the final answer noticeably.
- Re-run the numbers whenever an input changes, rather than estimating from an old result.
- These figures are general estimates, not medical advice — check with a qualified professional before acting on them.
Prefer not to do the maths by hand? — the Pulse Pressure Calculator does it instantly, for free, with the formula and a worked example built in.
Related calculators
Continue exploring health calculators with these tools: BMI Calculator, Corrected Calcium Calculator, Anion Gap Calculator, QTc Calculator (Bazett), Maintenance Fluid Calculator (4-2-1 Rule).