I hope, he wasn’t fired. Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure, and it is an important marker of risk, but only in the older age groups (>50).

If we limit ourselves to just the two pressure extremes (systolic and diastolic), and neglect the wealth of information that the pulse pressure curve contains, then we also need to differentiate between central (at the aorta) and peripheral (at the upper arm) pulse pressure. The reason is pulse pressure amplification. Here is why: Contrary to your garden hose, the arteries are not inert, passive conduits. The aorta expands to receive the blood bolus that the left ventricle ejects with every heartbeat. It then actively contracts to push this bolus further down to the periphery. The better the aorta’s (and the downstream arteries’) ability to do that, the lower the load on the heart. The net effect is that systolic and pulse pressure increase the further away from the heart you measure it. That’s why, even in supine position, your blood pressure at the ankles is higher than at the upper arm and much higher than at the aorta. In young adults this pressure amplification may materialize as a high systolic and pulse pressure which is, however, indicative of a healthy vasculature, not of any blood pressure problem. Therefore, in young adults, diastolic pressure is often a better marker for vascular health. In older adults, though, elevated pulse pressure beats diastolic and systolic pressure as a marker.