Pulse Flashcards
What is a pulse?
blood being pushed through the arteries during each cardiac cycle causing the walls of the arteries to expand and distend
Why do we assess and record the patient’s pulse?
to obtain information on the heart rate, pattern of beats and strength of the pulse, in order to establish a patient’s baseline on admission to monitor future changes
How can we measure pulse?
manually, pulse oximeter or stethoscope
How do you manually take a pulse rate?
by lightly compressing the radial artery against your fingers and counting the number of beats in 60 seconds
Which pulse is the most common to manually palpate?
radial artery
What is the normal pulse rate?
60 to 100 beats per min.
What is tachycardia?
more than 100 beats per min.
What is bradycardia?
less than 60 beats per min.
Which artery is the last to disappear during a cardiac arrest?
carotid artery
