For a patient with a blood pressure of 168/90 mmHg and a radial pulse of 82 bpm, what is the pulse pressure?

• A. 162
• B. 78
• C. 90
• D. 260

Answer: (B)

Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Subtract 90 from 168 to get 78 mmHg. The radial pulse rate doesn’t determine pulse pressure; it reflects heart rate. The other numbers don’t match the calculation: 162 would be from an incorrect subtraction, 90 is the diastolic value, and 260 would be the sum, not the difference. The correct pulse pressure is 78 mmHg.