How To Check Pulse Rate

How To Check Pulse Rate?

Pulse  is caused by the arteries due to pumpingof  the blood. The pulse rate is an indication that the heart is working  and pulse rate will be same as heart rate.Pulse can be taken at the wrist( radial pulse ) ,neck(carotid pulse ) and inguinal ligament(femoral),popliteal pulse and etc.However the main site are radial and carotid.

Radial Pulse

1.Place your first 3 fingers (pointer+middle+ring) just below the crease at the base of the thumb and press until you can feel the radial pulse.If necessary, move fingers around until you feel the pulse. Dont use your thumb to find your pulse because your thumb also has a pulse and this can intervene with the actual results.

2.Once you have identified the radial artery, you will need a clock or stop watch to monitor the pulse rate. 

3.Start the clock and count the pulses for sixty seconds. Then calculate the pulse rate for 60seconds.Can be done at both side of hand.

Carotid Pulse

1.Locate where the carotid pulsation feel the most.It can be identify at the point formed by anterior   surface of SCM muscle ,and the horizontal line from superior border of thyroid cartilage to SCM muscle.Carotid arteries present on  both the right and left side.But use either one side at a time to prevent the person from fainting.

2. Once you have identified the carotid artery, you will need a clock or stop watch to monitor the pulse rate. Take your middle and index finger and touch the sides of your neck to feel the pulse.

3.Start the clock and count the pulses for sixty seconds. Dont use your thumb to find your pulse because your thumb also has a pulse and this can intervene with the actual results. Then calculate the pulse rate for 60seconds..Can be done at both side of neck.

Tips How to Calculate the Rate:

-Use the pads of three fingers for radial pulse 

-Use two fingers, preferably your index and middle finger for  the carotid pulse.

-For counting pulse rate in wards,don't straightly go for the pulse rate once the patient.They might be nervous and this causes high pulse rate.So the reading will not be the actual state of the patient.

-Usually radial artery is used for detect the pulse rate.When person radial artery is not detectable,then can go for carotid pulse.If carotid pulse is also absent,then the person is death .

-During emergency situation ,you cannot wait for 60 second and wasting your time.So just use 30second and multiply the rate you get by 2.

Example:

30sec=36 times

36times x 2= 72 times.

So the pulse rate is 72/min.

But remember,you can'y use 30 second count in case of collapsing or irregular pulse.Go for 60 second count twice.

Normal Counting:

60sec=80 times

So the pulse rate is 80/min.

Pulse Rates: 

-For children under age 18, normal heart rate is 70-100 beats per minute.

-For adults, normal heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute.

-For someone very physically fit - 40 to 60 beats per minute.

-For a child 1 & under- 100 to 160  beats per minute.

The healthy range is 72 beats/min.

The rate sometimes will be varies according to person.Just keep in mind,there will be problem to a person when the pulse is less than 50 or high than 100/min.

The pulse and heart beat will getting high as the size of person gets small.That's why female and children pulse rate is higher than male.

by Lakdhes..