Objective To analyze the characteristics of pulse pressure index(PPI) and its value in predicting the risk for cerebral and cardiac vascular events in old males with hypertension. Meth-ods The 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in a total of 265 elderly men with essential hypertension(EH). The patients were classified into 3 groups based on the lev-el of PPI.PPI≤0.400(103) ,0. 401-0. 500(124) ,and≥0.501(38). Results There was significant difference in PP between day-time and night-time in hypertensive patients. The change of PPI was less than that of PP. With the increase in PPI, SBP(24 h, day-time, night-time), PP(24 h, day-time, night-time), the load of SBP(night-time), systolic blood pressure variation(BPV, 24 h, day-time) were raised significantly (P<0.01); while DBP(24 h, day-time, night-time), nocturnal de-cline in BP and the load of DBP(day-time) declined with the decrease in PPI (P<0.01). High PPI would increase the incidence of cardiac-cerebral vascular events (P < 0.01). Conclusion PPI is a useful parameter in clinical evaluation of arteriosclerosis. It may also have prognostic value for cardiac-cerebral vascular events in elderly men with EH.