PULSE : The HEART of Wellness

 PULSE

  -    Pulse is rhythmic dilation of an artery generated by the opening and closing of the aortic valve in the heart.
  -    In medicine, it represents the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips.
  -    A pulse can be felt by applying firm fingertip pressure to the skin at sites where the arteries travel near the skin’s surface; it is more evident when surrounding muscles are relaxed.
  -    It is one of the most well-known medical terms that is widely familiar as a measure of the heartbeat.
  -    Pulse/Heart rate is the wave of blood in the artery created by contraction of the left Ventricle during a cardiac cycle.
  -    Senior Cardiac Nurse, Emily McGrath says: Your pulse rate is the number of beats, or contractions, your heart makes per minute.

How to Check Our Pulse Rate

\\-   It may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the neck (carotid artery), wrist (radial artery), at the groin (femoral artery), behind the knee (popliteal artery), near the ankle joint (posterior tibial artery), and on foot (dorsalis pedis artery).
\\-   The count of arterial pulse per minute is equivalent to measuring the heart rate.
\\-   The heart rate can also be measured by listening to the heart beat by auscultation, traditionally using a stethoscope and counting it for a minute.
\\-   The radial pulse is commonly measured using three fingers.
\\-   The pulse is a crucial measure of the heart rate. An extremely slow pulse combined with dizziness can indicate shock and help identify internal bleeding.
\\-   A pulse that is too quick, on the other hand, points to high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.

• To Check the Pulse:

  -    Place the tips of our index and middle finger on the palm side of our other wrist, below the base of the thumb. Or place the tips of our index and middle finger on our lower neck, on either side of our windpipe.
  -    Press lightly with our fingers until we feel the blood pulsing beneath our fingers. We may need to move our fingers around until we feel the pulsing.
  -    Count the beats we feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get our heart rate (or pulse) per minute.

Fast Facts on Checking Our Pulse

Here are some key points about checking our pulse:
  -    As the heart pumps, the arteries expand and contract. This is the pulse.
  -    The pulse is easiest to find on the wrist or neck.
  -    A healthy pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).
  -    The normal pulse rate of an adult at rest may range from 50 to 85 beats per minute
  -    The average rate is about 70 to 72 for men and 78 to 82 for women
  -    In infants the rate ranges from 110 to 140
  -    The rate for adolescents is  80 to 90
  -    It can go up to 130–150 beats per minute when we’re exercising

Heart Rate

  -    The heart rate is one of the 'vital signs,' or the important indicators of health in the human body. It measures the number of times per minute that the heart contracts or beats.
  -    The speed of the heartbeat varies as a result of physical activity, threats to safety, and emotional responses.
  -    The resting heart rate refers to the heart rate when a person is relaxed.

Fast Facts on The Heart Rate

~      The heart rate measures the number of times the heart beats per minute.
~      After the age of 10 years, the heart rate of a person should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute while they are resting.
~      The heart will speed up during exercise. There is a recommended maximum heart rate that varies depending on the age of the individual.
~      It is not only the speed of the heart rate that is important. The rhythm of the heartbeat is also crucial, and an irregular heartbeat can be a sign of a serious health condition.
~      One in every four deaths in the United States occurs as a result of heart disease. Monitoring your heart rate can help prevent heart complications.

Difference Between Pulse & Heart Rate

~      The heart rate is the number of times the heart beats in the space of a minute.
~      Pulse is our heart rate, or the number of times our heart beats in one minute.
~      The pulse is often confused with the heart rate but refers instead to how many times per minute the arteries expand and contract in response to the pumping action of the heart.
~      The pulse rate is exactly equal to the heartbeat, as the contractions of the heart cause the increases in blood pressure in the arteries that lead to a noticeable pulse.
~      Taking the pulse is, therefore, a direct measure of heart rate.

Pulse Measurement

The radial pulse is commonly measured. Other sites are
Neck – carotid artery
Wrist-  radial artery
Groin – Femoral artery
Knee – popliteal artery
Ankle – posterior tibial artery
Foot – dorsalis pedis artery
Less easy places to find a pulse are:
-   behind the knees
-   on the inside of an elbow when the arm is outstretched
-   in the groin
-   at the temple on the side of the head
-   on the top or the inner side of the foot
We can measure our pulse rate anywhere an artery comes close to the skin, such as in our wrist, neck, temple area, groin, behind the knee, or top of your foot.
~      Wrist : We can check our pulse rate by placing tips of our index, second and third fingers on the palm side of our other wrist, below the base of the thumb or on our lower neck, on either side of our windpipe. Do not use our thumb because it has its own pulse that we may feel.
~      Carotid Artery : This is located in our neck, on either side of our windpipe. Be careful when checking our pulse in this location, especially if we are older than 65. If we press too hard, we may become lightheaded and dizzy.
~      Heart Beat : Our pulse can also be measured by listening to the heart beat directly (auscultation), traditionally using a stethoscope.
~      Beats Per Minute : Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply this number by 4 to get our pulse per minute. Checking our pulse rates when resting, during exercises or after it, provides general information about our overall fitness level.

Facts About Pulse

  -    Claudius Galen was perhaps the first physiologist to describe the pulse.
  -    The pulserate is an expedient tactile method of determination of systolic blood pressure to a trained observer.
  -    The heart rate may be greater or lesser than the pulserate depending upon physiologic demand.
  -    The pulse deficit (difference between heart beats and pulsations at the periphery) is determined by simultaneous palpation at the radial artery and auscultation at the PMI, near the heart apex. It may be present in case of premature beats or atrial fibrillation.
  -    The rate of the pulse is observed and measured by tactile or visual means on the outside of an artery and is recorded as beats per minute or BPM.
  -    Pulse velocity, pulse deficits and much more physiologic data are readily and simplistically visualized by the use of one or more arterial catheters connected to a transducer and oscilloscope. This invasive technique has been commonly used in intensive care since the 1970s.
  -    The pulse may be further indirectly observed under light absorbances of varying wavelengths with assigned and inexpensively reproduced mathematical ratios. Applied capture of variances of light signal from the blood component hemoglobin under oxygenated vs. deoxygenated conditions allows the technology of pulse oximetry.

Baby and Child Pulse Rate (BPM)

1st month of life - 70-190 bpm

Between 1 and 11 mths - 80-160 bpm

1 and 2 yrs - 80-130 bpm

3 and 4 yrs - 80-120 bpm

5 and 6 yrs - 75-115 bpm

Between 7 and 9 yrs - 70-110 bpm

10 years of age plus - 60-100 bpm

Average Pulse Rate for Adults

Age	Target Heart Rate 50 - 85%	Average Maximum Heart Rate 100%
20 years	100-170 beats per minute	200 beats per minute
30 yrs	95-162 bpm	190 bpm
35 yrs	93-157 bpm	185 bpm
40 yrs	90-153 bpm	180 bpm
45 yrs	88-149 bpm	175 bpm
50 yrs	85-145 bpm	170 bpm
55 yrs	83-140 bpm	165 bpm
60 yrs	80-136 bpm	160 bpm
65 yrs	78-132 bpm	155 bpm
70 yrs	75-128 bpm	150 bpm

Explanations
Tachycardia : Means the heart is beating too fast at rest (usually over 100 beats a minute (BPM))
Bradycardia : A heart rate that is too slow (usually below 60 beats a minute(BPM))
Target Heart Rate : We gain the most benefits and lessen the risks when we exercise in our target heart rate zone. Usually this is when our exercise heart rate is 60 percent to 80 percent of our maximum heart rate - (Target Heart Rate Calculator and Chart)
Maximum Heart Rate : The maximum heart rate is the highest our pulserate can get. To calculate our predicted maximum heart rate, use the formula: 220 - Your Age = Predicted Maximum Heart Rate
It is recommended that a physician be consulted for advice in event of doubts or therapy.