pulse & heart rate

Pulse/ Heart rate

the regular movement of blood through your body that is caused by the beating of your heart and that can be felt by touching certain parts of your body

Before birth

140-150 BPM

At birth

90-160 BPM

First year of life

115-130 BPM

Adult

60-100 BPM

Temporal

Temples

Carotid

Neck

Brachial

At the bend of the arm

Radial

Thumb side of inner wrist

Femoral

Groin

Popliteal

Behind the knee

Posterior Tibial

inner ankle

Dorsalis pedis

Top of the foot

How to check a pulse

• Use either index and middle fingers or index, middle, and ring finger to palpate

• Use stethoscope to auscultate

• Use doppler to auscultate

Tachycardia

HR> 100 BPM

Bradycardia

HR < 60 BPM

Rhythm

Regular % Irregular

Thready

Weak

Bounding

Strong

Normal

Normal

Causes of increase in pulse

• Fear

• Anxiety

• Stress

• Exercise

• Pain

• Emotions

• Age 

• Medications 

• Illness 

• Shock

Causes of decrease in pulse

• Sleep

• Meditation

• Age

• Medications 

• Depression

Pulse equipment

• Stethoscope (to auscultate)

• Doppler (to auscultate)

Fingers (to palpate