Pulse

The rhythmic expansion of an artery caused by pressure waves from heartbeats. Its rate, rhythm, and strength provide clues about cardiac function and circulation.

Cardiac cycle: The sequence of contraction and relaxation through which the heart fills with and ejects blood. Ventricular contraction launches the pressure wave that produces each arterial pulse.
Pulse rate: The number of palpable arterial pulsations counted per unit of time, usually per minute. Counting beats at an artery estimates heart rate in many clinical settings.
Atrial fibrillation: A heart rhythm disorder marked by rapid, disorganized electrical activity in the atria. It commonly produces an irregularly irregular pulse.
Heart rate: The number of heart contractions per unit of time, usually expressed per minute. A weak or absent peripheral beat can make the palpable pulse rate lower than the heart rate.
Systole: The phase of the cardiac cycle when the ventricles contract and eject blood. The pulse wave begins as the left ventricle ejects blood during this phase.
Radial artery: An artery in the forearm that supplies blood to the hand. Its position near the wrist makes it a common site for manual pulse assessment.
Premature ventricular contraction: An early heartbeat arising from electrical activity in a ventricle. Some premature beats eject too little blood to create a palpable peripheral pulse.
Blood pressure: The force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Blood pressure is a measured force, while the pulse is a traveling arterial expansion.
Arterial pressure: The pressure exerted by circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Its changing pressure distends arterial walls and gives the pulse its palpable expansion.
Apical pulse: The heartbeat counted by listening over the heart's apex with a stethoscope. It provides a direct count when a peripheral pulse is difficult to assess.

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PalpitationsRelated: Pulse checks provide a rough measure of rate and regularity during an episode.