ALTERATION IN PULSE

DEFINITION

When the rate, rhythm, volume & pattern of pulse are deviated from the normal in certain disease conditions, then it is termed as Alteration or Abnormalities in Pulse

The Abnormalities of Pulse are as follows

• Abnormalities in Pulse Rate
• Abnormalities in Pulse Rhythm
• Abnormality in Pulse Volume
• Abnormality in Pulse Pattern

Abnormalities in Pulse Rhythm

• Regularly Irregular rhythm: The Irregular rhythm follows a regular pattern like three regular beats and one missed and this is repeated.
• Irregularly Irregular rhythm: An irregularly irregular pulse is defined as a pulse in which the heart beats are spaced very irregularly with no discrete pattern.

Abnormalities in Pulse Rate

• Tachycardia: Tachycardia is the medical term for a heart rate over 100 beats per minute
• Bradycardia: Bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute.

Abnormalities in Pulse Volume

• Bounding Pulse: A bounding pulse is a strong throbbing felt over one of the arteries in the body. It is due to a forceful heartbeat.
• Weak Pulse: A weak pulse means it is difficult to feel a person's pulse (heartbeat).
• Absent Pulse: An absent pulse means it is not able to detect a pulse at all.
• Pulsus Alternans: There is a pattern of a strong pulse followed by a weak pulse over and over again. This pulse signals a difficult effort of the heart to sustain itself in systole.
• Pulsus Bigeminus: Indicates a pair of hoof beats within each heartbeat. Concurrent auscultation of the heart may reveal a gallop rhythm of the native heartbeat.
• Pulsus Bisferiens: It is characterized by two beats per cardiac cycle, that are both Systolic. In fingertips two pulses to each heartbeat instead of one can be felt.
• Pulsus Paradoxus: A condition in which some heartbeats cannot be detected at the radial artery during the inspiration phase of respiration.
• Dicortic Pulse: It is characterized by two beats per cardiac cycle, one systolic and the other diastolic.