In medicine, a person's pulse is the throbbing of their arteries as an effect of the heart beat. It can be felt at the neck (carotid artery), at the wrist (radial artery), behind the knee (popliteal artery), on the inside of the elbow (brachial artery), near the ankle joint (posterior tibial artery), and a few other places. Pressure waves move the artery walls, which are pliable; these waves are not caused by the forward movement of the blood. When the heart contracts, blood is ejected into the aorta and the aorta stretches. At this point, the wave of distention (pulse wave) is pronounced but relatively slow-moving (3–6 m/s). As it travels towards the peripheral blood vessels, it gradually diminishes and becomes faster. In the large arterial branches, its velocity is 7–10 m/s; in the small arteries, it is 15–35 m/s. The pressure pulse is transmitted fifteen or more times more rapidly than the blood flow. Look up pulse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... Section of an artery For other uses, see Artery (disambiguation). ... The heart and lungs, from an older edition of Grays Anatomy. ... For other uses, see Neck (disambiguation). ... In human anatomy, the wrist is the flexible and narrower connection between the forearm and the palm. ... For other uses, see Knee (disambiguation). ... Arteries of the lower limb - posterior view. ... This article is about the joint in the arm. ... Grays Fig. ... A pressure wave in a fluid is a travelling disturbance consisting in a local change of pressure (hence the name). ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... The aorta (generally pronounced [eɪˈɔːtÉ™] or ay-orta) is the largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and bringing oxygenated blood to all parts of the body in the systemic circulation. ... Blood flow is the flow of blood in the cardiovascular system. ...

The term pulse is also used, although incorrectly, to denote the frequency of the heart beat, usually measured in beats per minute. In most people, the pulse is an accurate measure of heart rate. Under certain circumstances, including arrhythmias, some of the heart beats are ineffective, and the aorta is not stretched enough to create a palpable pressure wave. The pulse is too irregular and the heart rate can be (much) higher than the pulse rate. In this case, the heart rate should be determined by auscultation of the heart apex, in which case it is not the pulse. The pulse deficit (difference between heart beats and pulsations at the periphery) should be determined by simultaneous palpation at the radial artery and auscultation at the heart apex. Beats per minute (bpm) is a unit typically used as either a measure of tempo in music, or a measure of ones heart rate. ... Heart rate is a term used to describe the frequency of the cardiac cycle. ... A cardiac arrhythmia, also called cardiac dysrhythmia, is a disturbance in the regular rhythm of the heartbeat. ... Auscultation is the technical term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope. ... Palpation is a method of examination in which the examiner feels the size or shape or firmness or location of something (of body parts when the examiner is a health professional). ... In human anatomy, the radial artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the lateral aspect of the forearm. ...

A normal pulse rate for a healthy adult, while resting, can range from 60 to 100 beats per minute (BPM). During sleep, this can drop to as low as 40 BPM; during strenuous exercise, it can rise as high as 200–220 BPM. Generally, pulse rates are higher in younger people.^{[citation needed]} A resting heart rate for an infant is as high as or higher than an adult's pulse rate during strenuous exercise.^{[citation needed]} For other uses, see Health (disambiguation). ... The term Exercise can refer to: Physical exercise such as running or strength training Exercise (options), the financial term for enacting and terminating a contract Category: ...

Pulses are manually palpated with fingers. When palpating the carotid artery, the femoral artery or the brachial artery, the thumb may be used. However, the thumb has its own pulse which can interfere with detecting the patient's pulse at other points, where two or three fingers should be used. Fingers or thumb must be placed near an artery and pressed gently against a firm structure, usually a bone, in order to feel the pulse. In human anatomy, the carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ... Femoral artery and its major branches - right thigh, anterior view. ... The brachial artery is the major blood vessel of the upper arm. ... This article is about the skeletal organs. ...

An alternative way of finding the pulse rate is by palpating or listening to the heartbeat. This is most commonly done with the examiner's palm or through a stethoscope. Before the invention of the stethoscope examiners would press their ear directly to the chest.

A collapsing pulse is a sign of hyperdynamic circulation. Hyperdyamic circulation is an increase in pulse pressure and blood pressure caused by certain physiological and psychiatric illnesses. ...

Common pulse points

• radial pulse—located on the thumb side of the wrist (radial artery)
• ulnar pulse—located on the little finger side of the wrist (ulnar artery)
• carotid pulse—located in the neck (carotid artery). The carotid artery should be palpated gently. Stimulating its baroreceptors with vigorous palpitation can provoke severe bradycardia or even stop the heart in some sensitive persons. Also, a person's two carotid arteries should not be palpated at the same time to avoid a risk of fainting or brain ischemia.
• brachial pulse—located between the biceps and triceps, on the medial side of the elbow cavity, frequently used in place of carotid pulse in infants (brachial artery)
• femoral pulse—located in the thigh (femoral artery)
• popliteal pulse—located behind the knee in the popliteal fossa, found by holding the bent knee. The patient bends the knee at approximately 120°, and the physician holds it in both hands to find the popliteal artery in the pit behind the knee.
• dorsalis pedis pulse—located on top of the foot (dorsalis pedis artery)
• tibialis posterior pulse—located in the back of the ankle behind the medial malleolus (posterior tibial artery)
• temporal pulse—located on the temple directly in front of the ear (superficial temporal artery)
• facial pulse-located on the mandible (lower jawbone) on a line with the corners of the mouth (facial artery)

The ease of palpability of a pulse is dictated by the patient's blood pressure. If his or her systolic blood pressure is below 90 mmHg, the radial pulse will not be palpable. Below 80 mmHg, the brachial pulse will not be palpable. Below 60 mmHg, the carotid pulse will not be palpable. Since systolic blood pressure rarely drops that low, the lack of a carotid pulse usually indicates death. It is not unheard of, however, for patients with certain injuries, illnesses or other medical problems to be conscious and aware with no palpable pulse. In human anatomy, the radial artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the lateral aspect of the forearm. ... The ulnar artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the medial aspect of the forearm. ... In human anatomy, the carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ... Bradycardia, as applied to adult medicine, is defined as a resting heart rate of under 60 beats per minute, though it is seldom symptomatic until the rate drops below 50 beat/min. ... In sciences dealing with the anatomy of animals, precise anatomical terms of location are necessary for a variety of reasons. ... The brachial artery is the major blood vessel of the upper arm. ... Femoral artery and its major branches - right thigh, anterior view. ... In human anatomy, the dorsalis pedis artery (dorsal artery of foot), is a blood vessel of the lower limb that carries oxygenated blood to the dorsal surface of the foot. ... Arteries of the lower limb - posterior view. ... The temple is the side of the head behind the eyes Temple indicates the side of the head behind the eyes. ... Arteries of the neck - right side. ... The facial artery (external maxillary artery in older texts) is a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies structures of the face. ...

See also

• Pulsus paradoxus