The pulse pressure is a measure of the

Options

A. number of heartbeats per minutes
B. sum of the diastolic & systolic pressure
C. difference between the arterial and venous pressure
D. difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure

Answer

To solve the question regarding what pulse pressure measures, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Definition of Pulse Pressure**:
- Pulse pressure is defined as the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

2. **Identify Systolic and Diastolic Pressure**:
- Systolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (contracts).
- Diastolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest (between beats).

3. **Calculate Pulse Pressure**:
- The formula for calculating pulse pressure is:
\[ \text{Pulse Pressure} = \text{Systolic Pressure} - \text{Diastolic Pressure} \]

4. **Evaluate the Options**:
- Option A: Number of heartbeats per minute - This is not related to pulse pressure.
- Option B: Sum of diastolic and systolic pressure - This is incorrect as it does not represent pulse pressure.
- Option C: Difference between arterial and venous pressure - This is not what pulse pressure measures.
- Option D: Difference between systolic and diastolic pressure - This is the correct definition of pulse pressure.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Based on the definition and evaluation of the options, the correct answer is **Option D**: The pulse pressure is a measure of the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.

### Final Answer:
The pulse pressure is a measure of the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.

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