Pulse Pressure Index (PPI): Explanation and Clinical Context Pulse Pressure Index (PPI) is the ratio of pulse pressure (PP) to systolic blood pressure (SBP), calculated as (SBP – DBP) / SBP.
It provides a standardized measure of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk. Pulse pressure reflects the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serves as a surrogate for arterial compliance.
Higher PPI values indicate increased arterial stiffness and are associated with greater risk of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure, especially in older adults and patients with hypertension.
PPI is easy to calculate from routine blood pressure measurements and offers additional prognostic information beyond traditional blood pressure readings.
Reference:
Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Stefanadis C. Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with arterial stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010;55(13):1318-1327. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2009.10.061