Unit 3: Pulse

Flashcards for a lesson on pulse.

Pulse

The pressure of the blood rushing against the walls of the arteries during heart contractions

Rate

The number of beats per minute the heart creates

Rhythm

The patterns of beats the heart creates

Volume

The character and strength of heartbeats

Common pulse sites

• Radial (wrist)

• Temporal (temple)

• Carotid (neck; carotid artery)

• Brachial (arm)

• Femoral (thigh)

• Popliteal (knee)

• Dorsalis pedis (foot)

Palpation

Touching a pulse site with the fingers of hands to count beats with pressure

Auscultation

Listening to the sounds of the body with a stethoscope, usually for the apical (chest) pulse

Increased pulse rate factors

• Exercise

• Stimulants

• Excitement

• Fever

• Shock

• Nervousness

Decreased pulse rate factors

• Sleep

• Depressant drugs

• Heart disease

• Comas

• Physical training

Bradycardia

An abnormally low heart rate below 60 beats per minute

Tachycardia

An abnormally high heart rate above 100 beats per minute

Apical pulse

A patient’s heartbeat on their chest

Pulse deficit

The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates

Pulse count times

• 30 seconds, multiplied by 2

• 15 seconds, multiplied by 4

Radial pulse

Pulse taken on the thumb side of the wrist

Stethoscope

An instrument used to listen to the apical pulse for one full minute