Pulse Basics

what is a pulse?

a wave of blood created by contraction of the left ventricle

where is the pulse felt?

on an artery close to the skin surface and over a bone

peripheral pulse

a pulse felt away from the heart (wrist, foot, groin, neck)

apical pulse

central pulse heard at the apex of the heart (point of maximum impulse)

• aka the pulse at the chest

what is stroke volume?

the amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each heartbeat

what is cardiac output?

blood volume pumped in heartbeat per minute

how is cardiac output calculated

stroke volume × heart rate

pulse rate

the number of times you feel a pulse per minute

pulse rhythm

pattern of beats + interval between the beats

factors affecting pulse

• age

• gender

• physical activty

• body temperature

• stress

• pain

• medications

• diseases

normal adult pulse rate range?

60–100 bpm

as age increases, pulse rate gradually ____

decreases

who has the highest pulse rate?

newborns (120-160 bpm)

who has the lowest pulse rate?

elders

which gender has a slower heart rate after puberty?

males

which gender has a faster heart rate after puberty?

females

why do athletes have a lower resting heart rate?

they have a greater force of heart contractions, which gets out more blood

if a patient has a fever, how can that affect heart rate?

increases heart rate

• due to lower blood pressure

how does a low blood pressure affect heart rate?

increases heart rate

sympathetic nervous system affect on heart rate

increases heart rate

exmaple of medications that increase heart rate

stimulants

examples of medications that decrease heart rate

many antiarrhythmics, beta-blockers

diseases that can alter heart rate

asthma, COPD