Blood Pressure vs Pulse Pressure What’s the Difference

Jaji Health Tips

Blood Pressure vs Pulse Pressure: What’s the Difference?  You check your blood pressure, but do you truly understand the numbers? In this clear and essential guide, we break down the critical difference between your standard blood pressure reading and the often-overlooked Pulse Pressure—a powerful indicator of your heart and artery health.  We'll simplify the science: What do systolic and diastolic numbers really mean? How is pulse pressure calculated, and why does a high or low value matter? Discover how pulse pressure can reveal hidden risks for heart disease, stroke, and arterial stiffness long before other symptoms appear

Transcript

00:00You probably know that a normal blood pressure reading is around 120 over 80,

00:04but what if I told you that this number doesn't tell the whole story?

00:08What if there's a hidden third number in your blood pressure reading

00:11that could be a far more accurate predictor of your risk for heart attack, stroke, and even dementia?

00:17A number that most people, and sometimes even doctors, completely overlook.

00:22Today, we're going to pull back the curtain on this critical health metric.

00:25We'll reveal what it is, how you can calculate it in seconds, and most importantly, what you can do to manage it.

00:32This isn't just another video about blood pressure.

00:35This is about understanding the true health of your arteries and your heart.

00:39Sticking around could be one of the most important things you do for your long-term health.

00:44When we talk about blood pressure, the number 12080 mmHg is often hailed as the gold standard for good health.

00:51However, the meaning of these numbers can shift dramatically as we get older.

00:55The reason for this change lies in the health of our blood vessels.

00:59As we age, our blood vessels naturally begin to lose their youthful elasticity.

01:04Think of the blood vessels in a young, healthy person as a brand-new, smooth highway.

01:09They are flexible, wide, and allow for efficient, fast-moving traffic.

01:13In this analogy, your blood is like a fleet of delivery trucks,

01:17tasked with transporting vital oxygen and nutrients to every cell in your body.

01:21On these new, smooth roads, the trucks can travel quickly and efficiently,

01:26making their deliveries without any delay, even with a standard amount of force or pressure pushing them along.

01:32Now imagine that same highway several decades later.

01:35It has become a worn-out, damaged road.

01:38The surface is cracked, narrowed in places, and has lost its smooth finish.

01:42This is what happens to our blood vessels as we age.

01:46A process known as arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.

01:50The walls of the vessels become stiff and less pliable.

01:54On this older, damaged road are delivery trucks.

01:57The blood can't travel as quickly.

01:58Even if the engine pressure, or blood pressure, remains the same at 120-80ths,

02:03the trucks move more slowly and face more resistance.

02:07This slowdown in circulation means that the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to our cells becomes less efficient.

02:14To compensate for this and maintain adequate circulation to vital organs,

02:18the body often has to work harder, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure over time.

02:23This is why we see a significant rise in hypertension statistics as people age.

02:26Even when the benchmark for normal blood pressure hasn't changed.

02:31But what has changed are the medical guidelines for diagnosing and treating high blood pressure.

02:36These guidelines, set by organizations like the Joint National Committee, JNC, in the United States,

02:42have been periodically updated.

02:44With each new version, from JNC1 all the way to JNC8,

02:48the threshold for what is considered high blood pressure has been lowered.

02:52For instance, a reading that might have been considered normal or prehypertensive in the past,

02:56is now classified as stage 1 hypertension, requiring medical intervention.

03:02This evolution in guidelines has led to a sharp increase in the number of people diagnosed with

03:07hypertension and subsequently prescribed medication.

03:10While the intention is to prevent cardiovascular events,

03:13this trend also raises important questions about whether the expanding

03:17definitions of disease primarily benefit the patient

03:20or the pharmaceutical industry that produces the treatments.

03:23This brings us to the crucial, often ignored component of your blood pressure reading.

03:28Everyone focuses on the two main numbers.

03:31The top number, which is the systolic pressure,

03:34and the bottom number, the diastolic pressure.

03:37But there's a third incredibly important measure you can derive from these two, the pulse pressure.

03:42Calculating it is simple.

03:43You just subtract the diastolic number from the systolic number.

03:46For example, if your blood pressure is 120 80ths mmHg,

03:52your pulse pressure is 120 minus 80, which equals 40, a normal.

03:57Healthy pulse pressure is generally considered to be in the range of 40 to 60 mmHg.

04:02This single number offers a wealth of information.

04:05It acts as a direct indicator of your blood vessel's elasticity

04:08and also provides insight into how effectively your heart is pumping blood.

04:12When your pulse pressure rises above 60, it's considered high and is a significant red flag

04:18for an increased risk of heart disease.

04:20To understand why, we need to look at what the systolic and diastolic pressures represent.

04:26The systolic pressure, the top number, measures the force your heart exerts on the walls of your arteries

04:31each time it beats or contracts, pushing blood out to the body.

04:35The diastolic pressure, the bottom number, measures the pressure in your arteries

04:39when the heart is at rest between beats, refilling with blood.

04:44It's during this resting phase that the heart muscle itself gets nourished.

04:48The heart receives its own blood supply through the coronary arteries.

04:51If these arteries become narrowed, it can lead to conditions like angina or a full-blown heart attack.

04:58A very low diastolic pressure can be problematic

05:00because it may reduce the blood flow to these coronary arteries.

05:04Essentially starving the heart muscle of the oxygen and nutrients,

05:07it needs to function properly.

05:09A high pulse pressure often results from a high systolic number and a low diastolic number,

05:15creating a wider gap and a more dangerous situation for your heart.

05:18As we age, particularly after 40, it's natural for pulse pressure to gradually increase,

05:25though the rate of this change varies from person to person.

05:28You can think of the aging of your blood vessels in the same way you think about the aging of your skin.

05:33Just as skin loses its collagen and elasticity over time, leading to wrinkles,

05:38your arteries lose their flexibility and become stiffer.

05:42A higher pulse pressure is a direct reflection of this loss of arterial elasticity.

05:46The medical community has taken this connection very seriously.

05:50A compelling study that followed over 11,000 men aged 60 and older found that those with a pulse

05:56pressure greater than 55 had a 40% higher risk of developing heart disease compared to those

06:02with a lower pulse pressure.

06:03The risks associated with high pulse pressure don't stop there.

06:07Research has shown that for every 20-point increase in pulse pressure, the risk of developing atrial

06:12fibrillation, a common and dangerous heart rhythm disorder, jumps by 26%.

06:17Furthermore, a pulse pressure exceeding 67 has been linked to a staggering 55% increase in the risk of

06:24heart failure.

06:25The brain is also highly vulnerable.

06:27For every 10-point rise in pulse pressure, the risk of stroke increases by 11%.

06:32Beyond these life-threatening conditions, high pulse pressure has also been connected to other quality

06:37of life issues, such as erectile dysfunction, as healthy blood flow is essential for proper function.

06:44The primary cause behind a high pulse pressure is arteriosclerosis, the hardening and stiffening of

06:49the arteries that we discussed earlier.

06:51However, other medical conditions can also contribute.

06:54For instance, an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, can speed up the heart rate and increase the force of

07:01its contractions, leading to a rise in systolic pressure, and thus a wider pulse pressure.

07:06Severe amemia, a condition where you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen,

07:12can also cause the heart to pump harder and faster to compensate, which may increase pulse pressure.

07:18Interestingly, in men, a pulse pressure greater than 60 is often associated with low testosterone levels,

07:25highlighting the complex interplay of hormones and cardiovascular health.

07:29Given these serious risks, what can be done?

07:32The most fundamental approach to managing high pulse pressure is to focus on lowering your overall

07:36blood pressure. When it comes to natural effective treatments, exercise is arguably the most powerful

07:42tool at your disposal. Specifically, certain types of exercise have been shown to be particularly

07:48effective at reducing arterial stiffness.

07:50High-intensity interval training, HIIT, which involves short bursts of intense exercise followed

07:57by brief recovery periods and isometric exercises, like planks or wall sits where you hold a position

08:03under tension, have both been proven to improve vessel elasticity. Of course, any form of regular

08:09cardiovascular exercise, like brisk walking, jogging, or cycling, is vastly better than being sedentary and

08:16will contribute to better heart and vessel health. Lifestyle choices also play a critical role.

08:21Smoking is a major contributor to arterial stiffness and should be avoided at all costs,

08:26as it directly damages the lining of your blood vessels and increases pulse pressure risk.

08:31Excessive alcohol consumption is another culprit. While a small amount of alcohol might temporarily

08:36relax blood vessels, chronic, heavy drinking ultimately raises blood pressure and pulse pressure.

08:42On the nutritional front, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, particularly a balanced ratio of EPA to

08:50DHA, has shown promise in some studies for reducing both pulse pressure and arterial stiffness.

08:56Finally, while we've focused heavily on the dangers of a high pulse pressure, it's also important to

09:01know that an unusually low or narrow pulse pressure generally considered to be below 40 can also be a sign of

09:07trouble. A narrow pulse pressure might indicate poor heart function, such as in congestive heart failure,

09:13severe aortic valve stenosis where the valve opening is narrowed, or significant blood loss.

09:19This is why it's so important to not just look at your top and bottom numbers,

09:23but to always take a few seconds to calculate your pulse pressure. It's a simple, free, and powerful

09:29piece of information that gives you a deeper, more accurate picture of your cardiovascular health.

09:34It's time to stop ignoring this third vital number.

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