How is wide pulse pressure defined and what are the causes?
Wide pulse pressure is defined as:
Pulse pressure more than 50% of systolic blood pressure
i.e. (BP systolic & BP diastolic) >50% BP systolic
Extremely wide pulse pressure can be seen in conditions with high stroke volume, such as:
- Aortic insufficiency
- Hyperthyroidism
- Beriberi
- Pregnancy
- Fever
- Anemia
- Patient ductus arteriosus
- Severe Paget’s disease with extensive arteriovenous shunting through the diseased bone
- Severe exfoliative dermatitis with shunting through the diseased skin
N.B. If widened pulse pressure only seen in one limb, one should search for an arteriovenous fistulas in that limb.
