If the systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg and diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg, the pulse pressure is `"_______"`

Options

A. `120 xx 80 = 9600` mm Hg
B. `120 + 80 = 200` mm Hg
C. `120 - 80 = 40` mm Hg
D. `(120)/(40) = 2` mm Hg

Answer

To find the pulse pressure when given the systolic and diastolic pressures, follow these steps:

1. **Identify the values**:
- Systolic pressure = 120 mm Hg
- Diastolic pressure = 80 mm Hg

2. **Understand the formula**:
- The pulse pressure is calculated using the formula:
\[ \text{Pulse Pressure} = \text{Systolic Pressure} - \text{Diastolic Pressure} \]

3. **Substitute the values into the formula**:
- Using the identified values:
\[ \text{Pulse Pressure} = 120 \, \text{mm Hg} - 80 \, \text{mm Hg} \]

4. **Perform the calculation**:
- Subtract the diastolic pressure from the systolic pressure:
\[ \text{Pulse Pressure} = 40 \, \text{mm Hg} \]

5. **State the final answer**:
- The pulse pressure is **40 mm Hg**.