Atherosclerosis causes elastic arteries to become less stretchy. How does this affect pulse pressure?

Atherosclerosis causes elastic arteries to become less stretchy. How does this affect pulse pressure?

• A. Pulse pressure is chronically decreased
• B. Pulse pressure is chronically increased
• C. Pulse pressure remains unchanged
• D. Pulse pressure becomes zero

Answer: (A)

When elastic arteries lose their stretch, the windkessel effect that smooths blood pressure is reduced. A stiffer aorta and large arteries can’t recoil as well to maintain pressure during diastole, so systolic pressure tends to rise while diastolic pressure may fall or not increase as much. Since pulse pressure = systolic minus diastolic, this combination broadens the gap between the two, making pulse pressure chronically increased. In other words, arterial stiffness from atherosclerosis leads to a widened pulse pressure, not a decreased or unchanged one.

When elastic arteries lose their stretch, the windkessel effect that smooths blood pressure is reduced. A stiffer aorta and large arteries can’t recoil as well to maintain pressure during diastole, so systolic pressure tends to rise while diastolic pressure may fall or not increase as much. Since pulse pressure = systolic minus diastolic, this combination broadens the gap between the two, making pulse pressure chronically increased. In other words, arterial stiffness from atherosclerosis leads to a widened pulse pressure, not a decreased or unchanged one.