Pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) calculator

Pulse pressure is your top number minus your bottom number, so a reading of 120/80 has a pulse pressure of 40. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is your bottom number plus one third of that pulse pressure, so 120/80 gives a MAP of about 93.

Both are worked out from the same two numbers your cuff already shows. They can add a little context, but they don't replace your top and bottom numbers, and your doctor makes treatment decisions from those.

What is pulse pressure, and what is a normal pulse pressure?

Pulse pressure is the gap between your systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) blood pressure. Cleveland Clinic puts a normal pulse pressure at 40 mm Hg.

The top number is the pressure in your arteries while your heart beats. The bottom number is the pressure between beats. Pulse pressure is how far the pressure swings with each beat.

Cleveland Clinic also notes that pulse pressure tends to rise as you get older, and ties a wider pulse pressure to arteries that stiffen with age.

What is mean arterial pressure?

Mean arterial pressure is the average pressure in your arteries over one full heartbeat, both the beat and the rest between beats. That's how the StatPearls chapter on MAP defines it, and it's the pressure that pushes blood into your organs.

You might expect the average of 120 and 80 to be 100. It comes out lower. CV Physiology explains that at normal resting heart rates, the shape of the pressure wave over each heartbeat puts MAP below the simple average of the two numbers.

How do you calculate MAP?

Take your bottom number and add one third of your pulse pressure: MAP = diastolic + (systolic - diastolic) ÷ 3. This is the formula StatPearls gives, and it's the same one BP Log uses.

Here are the formulas side by side:

• Pulse pressure = systolic - diastolic
• MAP = diastolic + (pulse pressure ÷ 3)

It's an estimate. A 2023 study in the American Journal of Hypertension by Tien and colleagues compared it with pressures measured directly inside the artery and concluded that the standard formula is adequate for routine use. CV Physiology adds that at high heart rates, MAP moves closer to the simple average of the two numbers, so the one-third formula fits best at a normal resting pulse.

One more wrinkle. Some home cuffs show a MAP of their own. The same study found that automatic cuffs from different makers report different MAP values, so don't be surprised if your cuff's number and the formula's number don't match exactly.

What is the MAP if blood pressure is 120/80?

It's about 93.3. Pulse pressure is 120 - 80 = 40, a third of 40 is 13.3, and 80 + 13.3 = 93.3.

CV Physiology uses this same reading and arrives at about 93. Here it is next to two other readings:

Look at the last two rows. Very different readings, same MAP. The 150/70 reading has a wide pulse pressure, and the 110/90 reading has a narrow one. That's a good reason not to lean on MAP alone, and a good reason to keep looking at the top and bottom numbers.

When is a wide or narrow pulse pressure a concern?

Cleveland Clinic says to book an appointment if your readings regularly show a pulse pressure of 60 or more, or one that's a quarter or less of your top number. It also says a pulse pressure of 50 or more can raise the risk of heart disease, heart rhythm problems and stroke.

In the table above, 150/70 has a pulse pressure of 80, which is in the range Cleveland Clinic suggests raising with your doctor. And 110/90 has a pulse pressure of 20. A quarter of 110 is 27.5, so 20 counts as narrow by that definition.

Cleveland Clinic links a wide pulse pressure to stiff arteries (more common with age, diabetes and kidney disease) and sometimes to heart valve problems. It links a narrow pulse pressure to the heart not pumping enough blood, as in heart failure, or to major blood loss. It calls a pulse pressure above 100 "truly widened."

A single odd reading doesn't tell you much. Look at the pattern across a week of readings before you worry.

When to worry about MAP?

The number to know is 60. StatPearls says vital organs need a MAP of at least 60 mm Hg, and that if it stays below that for an extended period, organs can be starved of blood.

The study by Tien and colleagues says the normal range of MAP is generally understood to be 70 to 100 mm Hg. For context, a MAP of 60 works out to a reading of about 80/50, which is low.

At home, MAP is rarely the number that should change what you do. The blood pressure categories in the 2025 ACC/AHA guideline are built on the top and bottom numbers. Neither pulse pressure nor MAP is part of them. If you want to know where your readings fall, our blood pressure chart guide walks through each category, including low blood pressure.

How do you average several blood pressure readings?

Average each number on its own: add up the top numbers and divide by how many readings you took, then do the same for the bottom numbers. The AMA's BP Average Calculator works the same way, giving an average systolic and an average diastolic from two or more readings.

Here's one morning with three readings:

Round to whole numbers and that morning's average is 133/84. Don't pick the lowest reading, and don't average the readings as fractions.

Want the pulse pressure and MAP for a set of readings? Work them out from the averaged numbers. Because both formulas are simple arithmetic, you'll get the same answer as averaging each reading's pulse pressure or MAP. For 133.3/84, that's a pulse pressure of about 49 and a MAP of about 100.4.

How many readings, and when? The usual home routine is two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, for a week. Our free printable blood pressure log is laid out that way, and how to measure blood pressure at home covers the setup that keeps your numbers honest.

When to call a doctor

Call 911 if your reading is 180/120 or higher and you have symptoms such as chest pain, vision changes or slurred speech. Cleveland Clinic lists these as signs of a hypertensive emergency. Don't wait to recheck.

If you're at 180/120 or higher and feel fine, rest for a few minutes and measure again. If it's still that high, get medical care.

Book a regular appointment if your pulse pressure keeps coming in at 60 or more, or at a quarter or less of your top number, over a week of readings. Bring the whole log.

Don't change or stop any medication based on your pulse pressure or MAP. That's a conversation for you and your doctor. Our guide to sharing home readings with your doctor covers what's most useful to bring.

Common questions

Is pulse pressure the same as my pulse?

No. Your pulse (heart rate) is how many times your heart beats in a minute. Pulse pressure is the gap between your top and bottom blood pressure numbers, measured in mm Hg.

Is a MAP of 93 good?

For a reading of 120/80, a MAP of 93 is what you'd expect, and it sits inside the 70 to 100 range that Tien and colleagues describe as normal. Your top and bottom numbers still matter more for your category.

Why does my cuff's MAP differ from my calculation?

Many automatic cuffs work out MAP with their own method, and the 2023 study found these differ by manufacturer. The formula on this page is the standard estimate, so small differences are expected.

Should I track pulse pressure and MAP at home?

You don't have to. Your top and bottom numbers, averaged over a week, are what the guideline categories use. Pulse pressure and MAP are extra context you can bring to your doctor.

How BP Log helps

BP Log works out pulse pressure and MAP for every reading as you log it, with MAP shown to one decimal using the formula above. The dashboard shows your average pulse pressure, and the doctor visit report includes average pulse pressure and MAP next to your morning and evening averages. It also handles the averaging for you: two readings a minute apart, each number averaged on its own. Know your numbers, all of them, and bring them to your appointment.