Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Increasing Pulmonary Artery Pulsatile Flow Improves Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension in Piglets
08:08

Increasing Pulmonary Artery Pulsatile Flow Improves Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension in Piglets

Published on: May 11, 2015

Pressure amplification explains why pulse pressure is unrelated to risk in young subjects

I B Wilkinson1, S S Franklin, I R Hall

  • 1Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom. ibw20@cam.ac.uk

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|December 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Pulse pressure is a better predictor of heart disease in older adults, while diastolic pressure is better for younger individuals. This age-related difference in blood pressure amplification explains this disparity.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Gerontology
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Diastolic blood pressure is a better predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in younger subjects, whereas pulse pressure is more predictive in older subjects.
  • This age-related disparity in CHD risk prediction is not fully understood.
  • Age-related changes in arterial hemodynamics, specifically pressure amplification, may play a role.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that age-related differences in pressure amplification contribute to the varying predictive value of pulse and diastolic pressures for CHD risk.
  • To examine the relationship between age, pressure amplification, and diastolic pressure in younger and older subjects.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of data from 432 subjects (212 < 50 years, 230 >= 50 years) free from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and medication.
  • Peripheral blood pressure measured by sphygmomanometry.
  • Central blood pressure derived from noninvasive radial artery waveforms using applanation tonometry.
  • Pressure amplification calculated as the ratio of peripheral to central pulse pressure.

Main Results:

  • Pressure amplification significantly decreased with age (r=0.7; P<0.001).
  • An inverse relationship was observed between pressure amplification and diastolic pressure in younger subjects (r=0.3; P<0.001), but not in older subjects (P=0.2).
  • Reduced amplification in older subjects is attributed to enhanced wave reflection, and its decline with rising diastolic pressure in younger individuals explains why peripheral pulse pressure underestimates diastolic pressure's central effect.

Conclusions:

  • Age-related differences in pressure amplification, influenced by wave reflection, explain the varying predictive power of pulse and diastolic pressures for CHD risk.
  • Peripheral pulse pressure may underestimate the impact of diastolic pressure on central pressure in younger individuals.
  • Assessing central blood pressure may enhance cardiovascular risk stratification across different age groups.

More Related Videos

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness05:51

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness

Published on: May 3, 2018

Pulse-Wave Velocity, Flow-Mediated Dilation, and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness to Assess Cardiovascular Risk in Population with Metabolic Syndrome06:04

Pulse-Wave Velocity, Flow-Mediated Dilation, and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness to Assess Cardiovascular Risk in Population with Metabolic Syndrome

Published on: September 27, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Pulse01:05

Pulse

The pulse is one of the most fundamental physiological indicators of the body's cardiovascular health. It is the rhythmic expansion and contraction of the arterial walls in response to the pressure generated by the heart's pumping action.
Pulse Rate and its Significance
Pulse rate, often measured in beats per minute (bpm), reflects the heart rate (HR), which is influenced by numerous factors such as stress, physical activity, and hormonal changes. A normal resting adult pulse rate falls between...
Blood Pressure01:30

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure or force of blood exerted on the artery's walls as it circulates through the body. It is essential for maintaining blood flow throughout the body.
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...
Sites for measuring blood pressure01:21

Sites for measuring blood pressure

Blood pressure measurement is a fundamental clinical procedure, providing crucial data for assessing cardiovascular health. Among the various sites for this measurement, the brachial and popliteal arteries are predominantly utilized due to their accessibility and the reliability of their readings. This lesson delves into the anatomical significance, methodology, and considerations of measuring blood pressure at these locations.
The Brachial Artery: Primary Site for Blood Pressure Measurement
Blood Pressure01:24

Blood Pressure

The movement of blood in a human body, commonly referred to as blood flow, is determined by the volume of blood that traverses a certain section of the bodily system per unit time. It is the rhythmic contraction of the heart's ventricles that primarily instigates this movement. As the ventricles contract, blood is forced into the prominent arteries, which then flow from areas of greater pressure to lower pressure areas. This movement continues into smaller arteries and arterioles and...
Measurement of Blood Pressure01:17

Measurement of Blood Pressure

Assessing blood pressure is a standard procedure executed in virtually all medical environments. The method utilized today was established over a hundred years ago by an innovative Russian doctor, Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff. The soft ticking noise, known as Korotkoff sounds, heard while taking blood pressure readings results from turbulent blood flow within the vessels. The apparatus required for this procedure includes a sphygmomanometer, a blood pressure cuff attached to a gauge, and a stethoscope.
Pulse01:16

Pulse

When the heart pumps blood out, arterial elastic fibers play a crucial role in sustaining a high-pressure gradient. They expand to accommodate the received blood and then recoil - a process known as the pulse that can be either manually palpated or electronically quantified. Despite a reduction in its effect with increased distance from the heart, elements of the pulse's systolic and diastolic components persist, observable even at the arteriole level.
The pulse serves as a clinical indicator...