Alteration in Pulse
1.
Tachycardia:
Excessively fast rate over 100beats per minute in an adult.
2.
Bradycardia:
a heart rate in an adult of less than 60 beats per minute in an adult
Alteration
in Rhythm
3.
Dysrhythmia
/ arrhythmia: a pulse with an irregular rhythm
4.
Intermittent
pulse: is one in which the beats are missed at regular intervals
5.
Pulse
deficit: difference between the apical and the radial pulse
6.
Extra
systoles: When cardiac contractions occur prematurely is called extra systolic
pulse. (ectopic beat )
7.
Atrial
fibrillation: rapid contraction of atrium causing irregular contraction of
ventricles.
8.
Ventricular
fibrillations: Rapid twitching (uncoordinated contraction) of the
ventricles.
9.
Sinus
arrhythmia: Condition in which the pulse rate is rapid during inspiration
and slow during expiration.
10. Dicrotic pulse: there is one heart beat and two arterial
pulsations giving the sensation of double beat.
Alteration in Pulse
Volume
1.
Water Hammer
Pulse or Corrigans Pulse or collapsing pulse: Rapidly collapsing pulse
occurring in aortic regurgitation or incompetence, where the blood having been
forced into artery by the ventricular contraction,
regurgitates back into the ventricle
2.
Bounding
Pulse: Signifies stroke volume as seen in exercises, anxiety, anemia
3.
Pulsus
alternans: the rhythm is regular but the volume has an alterative strong
and weak character. This may be noticed in the left ventricular failure, heart
block
4.
Bigeminal
Pulse: it is accompanied by an irregular rhythm in which every other beat
comes early E.g. MI
5.
Weak/
thready Pulse: A small weak pulse that feels like a wire or thread on the
palpation of arteries E.g. Diarrhea, Vomiting, Shock
6.
Paradoxical
Pulse: force or strength of the pulse wave varies feeling weaker when the
patient takes in a breath.
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