By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
The rate pressure product multiplies heart rate by systolic blood pressure to estimate the workload the heart is doing. It is sometimes called the double product and is used as a rough index of myocardial oxygen demand. This calculator returns the product and compares it with the commonly cited resting value below 10,000.
Estimate myocardial oxygen demand from rate and pressure.
RPP = HR × SBP
The units are mmHg·bpm. A resting value below about 10,000 is commonly cited, and the product rises with exercise, pain, fever and anxiety. The calculation is an estimate of demand, not a measure of blood flow or of ischaemia, and it does not account for coronary supply.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| HR | Heart rate in beats per minute. |
| SBP | Systolic blood pressure in mmHg. |
| RPP | Rate pressure product in mmHg·bpm. |
For 70 bpm and 120 mmHg, RPP = 70 × 120 = 8,400 mmHg·bpm, below the typical resting mark. For 100 bpm and 140 mmHg, RPP = 100 × 140 = 14,000 mmHg·bpm, which is well above it. The second value reflects both a faster rate and a higher pressure.
The heart is an aerobic organ, so its workload is closely tied to how much oxygen it needs. Two of the main determinants are how often it beats and the pressure it must generate during ejection. Multiplying them gives a compact index that rises steeply during exertion. Clinicians sometimes use the product during stress testing because it reflects the effort required to provoke symptoms or ECG changes. It is not a complete model: heart size, contractility, wall stress and coronary flow reserve all matter. Nor does it measure supply, which falls when coronary arteries are narrowed. That is why the same product can be tolerated by one person and provoke ischaemia in another. Treat it as a demand-side estimate and interpret it with the whole clinical picture.
Continue with the Mean Arterial Pressure Calculator, Pulse Pressure Calculator, or the QTc Calculator — or browse more cardiology tools and all health calculators.
It estimates myocardial oxygen demand by combining the number of beats with the pressure the heart ejects against. It is a surrogate, not a direct measurement of oxygen consumption or coronary blood flow.
Blood pressure, ECG and risk scores are screening aids, not diagnoses. A single reading can be misleading; trends and proper technique matter. Scores estimate population risk and do not replace clinical assessment, anticoagulation decisions or emergency care.
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Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
Content updated: September 2026