Pulse

Pulse

The pulse is a vital sign that reflects the heart rate and rhythm, providing crucial information about a person's cardiovascular health. It is the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips. The pulse can be felt at various points on the body where an artery is close to the skin and can be compressed against a bone.

Physiology

The pulse is generated by the contraction of the heart, specifically the left ventricle, which pumps blood into the aorta and subsequently into the systemic circulation. This creates a pressure wave that travels along the arteries, which can be felt as a pulse.

Pulse Points

There are several common sites where the pulse can be palpated:

• Radial pulse: Located on the wrist, on the thumb side. It is the most commonly used site for measuring the pulse.
• Carotid pulse: Found in the neck, lateral to the trachea. It is often used in emergency situations.
• Brachial pulse: Located on the inner aspect of the elbow, used primarily in infants.
• Femoral pulse: Found in the groin area, used in cases of shock or cardiac arrest.
• Popliteal pulse: Located behind the knee.
• Dorsalis pedis pulse: Found on the top of the foot.
• Posterior tibial pulse: Located behind the ankle.

Clinical Significance

The pulse rate, rhythm, and quality can provide important diagnostic information:

• Pulse rate: The number of beats per minute. Normal resting pulse rates for adults range from 60 to 100 beats per minute.
• Bradycardia: A slower than normal heart rate, typically below 60 beats per minute.
• Tachycardia: A faster than normal heart rate, typically above 100 beats per minute.
• Pulse rhythm: The regularity of the pulse. An irregular rhythm may indicate arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.
• Pulse quality: The strength of the pulse. A weak pulse may indicate poor cardiac output or peripheral vascular disease.

Measurement Techniques

To measure the pulse, the healthcare provider uses the pads of the index and middle fingers to palpate the artery. The thumb should not be used as it has its own pulse that can interfere with accurate measurement.

Factors Affecting Pulse

Several factors can influence the pulse rate and quality:

• Age: Children typically have higher pulse rates than adults.
• Fitness level: Athletes may have lower resting pulse rates.
• Emotional state: Stress and anxiety can increase the pulse rate.
• Medications: Certain drugs can affect heart rate and rhythm.
• Temperature: Fever can increase the pulse rate.

Also see

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Cardiovascular system
• Arrhythmia
• Vital signs

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy