Your blood pressure reading contains a hidden number, and here’s why it matters

Article excerpt

A blood pressure reading's two numbers, systolic and diastolic, don't tell the whole story. Researchers have identified a third measurement, pulse pressure (the difference between the two readings), that may reveal important clues about heart and brain health. This hidden number could predict cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline better than the standard readings alone, offering doctors a new tool for identifying at-risk patients before serious complications develop.