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Related to irregular pulse: irregularly irregular pulse
ir·reg·u·lar pulse
- The statistical department carries regular surveys on the “manpower needs and wages” situation in various sectors. In all, over a dozen different activities are examined; all but one (manufacturing) are services. They run the gamut from the obvious ones, gambling or banking, to some less visible.
- Masimo does note that the RRp measure may not be appropriate for some patients, as the movement-induced signal has to be detectable in the pulsatile waveform and irregular breathing can cause.
- Your pulse feels irregular - it is very slow (fewer than 60 beats a minute) or very fast (over 100 to 120 beats a minute). You have dizziness, fainting, or you are very tired. You have a severe headache that does not go away. You have a cough that does not go away; You are coughing up blood or yellow or green mucus.
Cough, Irregular heartbeat, Palpitations (fluttering in chest) and Pounding heart (pulse) WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms cough, irregular heartbeat, palpitations (fluttering in chest) and pounding heart (pulse) including Common cold, Bronchitis, and Asthma (child).
variation in rate of impulses in an artery due to cardiac arrhythmia.
ir·reg·u·lar pulse
(
ir-reg'yū-lăr pŭls)
An imprecise, but common, term involving variation in rate of impulses in an artery due to cardiac arrhythmia.
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
pulse
(puls) [L.
pulsus, beating]
1. Rate, rhythm, condition of arterial walls, compressibility and tension, and size and shape of the fluid wave of blood traveling through the arteries as a result of each heartbeat.
3. Throbbing caused by the regular contraction and alternate expansion of an artery as the wave of blood passes through the vessel; the periodic thrust felt over arteries in time with the heartbeat. See:
illustrationA tracing of this is called a sphygmogram and consists of a series of waves in which the upstroke is called the anacrotic limb, and the downstroke (on which is normally seen the dicrotic notch), the catacrotic limb.
The normal resting pulse in adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. The resting pulse is faster, for example, in febrile patients, anemic or hypovolemic persons, persons in shock, and patients who have taken drugs that stimulate the heart, such as theophylline, caffeine, nicotine, or cocaine. It may be slower in well-trained athletes; in patients using beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, or other agents; and during sleep or deep relaxation.
Patient care
In patients complaining of chest pain, pulses should be assessed in at least two extremities (e.g., both radial arteries). A strong pulse on the right side with a weak one on the left may suggest an aortic dissection or a stenosis of the left subclavian artery. Young patients with high blood pressure should have pulses assessed simultaneously at the radial and femoral artery because a significant delay in the femoral pulse may suggest coarctation of the aorta. Patients with recent symptoms of stroke or claudication should have pulses checked at the carotid, radial, femoral, popliteal, and posterior tibial arteries, to see whether any palpable evidence of arterial insufficiency exists at any of these locations. If a decreased pulse is detected, further evaluation might include ultrasonography or assessments of the ankle brachial index. Patients who are lightheaded or dizzy or who notice palpitations may have detectable premature beats or other pulse irregularities (e.g., the irregularly irregular pulse of atrial fibrillation).
abdominal pulse
A palpable pulse felt between the xiphoid process and the navel. This is produced by the pulse of the abdominal aorta.
alternating pulse
A pulse with alternating weak and strong pulsations.
Synonym: pulsus alternans
anacrotic pulse
A pulse showing a secondary wave on the ascending limb of the main wave.
anadicrotic pulse
A pulse wave with two small notches on the ascending portion.
apical pulse
A pulse felt or heard over the part of the chest wall that lies over the apex of the heart. In healthy people this is roughly located at the left mid-clavicular line in the fourth intercostal space.
See: Pulse: Apical
asymmetrical radial pulse
Unequal pulse.
basal pulse
Resting pulse.
bigeminal pulse
A pulse in which two regular beats are followed by a longer pause.
Synonym:
coupled pulsebisferiens pulse
A pulse marked by two systolic peaks on the pulse waveform. It is characteristic of aortic regurgitation (with or without aortic stenosis) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
bounding pulse
A pulse that reaches a higher intensity than normal, then disappears quickly. Best detected when the arm is held aloft.
Synonym:
collapsing pulsebrachial pulse
See: Pulse: Brachial
capillary pulse
Visible inflow and outflow of blood from the nailbed. It is a finding in patients with aortic regurgitation when their fingernails or toenails are gently depressed by the examiner's finger. Synonym: Quincke's pulse
carotid pulse
See: Pulse: Carotid
catacrotic pulse
A pulse showing one or more secondary waves on the descending limb of the main wave.
catadicrotic pulse
A pulse wave with two small notches on the descending portion.
central pulse
A pulse recorded near the origin of the carotid or subclavian arteries.
collapsing pulse
Bounding pulse.
How To Control Irregular Heartbeat
Corrigan's pulse
See: waterhammer pulse
coupled pulse
Bigeminal pulse.
dicrotic pulse
A pulse with a double beat, one heartbeat for two arterial pulsations, or a seemingly weak wave between the usual heartbeats. This weak wave should not be counted as a regular beat. It is indicative of low arterial tension and is noted in fevers.
dorsalis pedis pulse
A pulse felt over the dorsalis pedis artery of the foot.
See: Pulse: Dorsalis Pedis
entoptic pulse
Intermittent subjective sensations of light that accompany the heartbeat.
femoral pulse
See: Pulse: Femoral
filiform pulse
Thready pulse.
hepatic pulse
A pulse due to expansion of veins of the liver at each ventricular contraction.
intermediate pulse
A pulse recorded in the proximal portions of the carotid, femoral, and brachial arteries.
intermittent pulse
A pulse in which occasional beats are skipped, caused by conditions such as premature atrial contractions, premature ventricular contractions, and atrial fibrillation. Synonym: irregular pulse
irregular pulse
Intermittent pulse.
irregularly irregular pulse
The erratic, unpredictable pulse present in atrial fibrillation.
jugular pulse
Kussmaul's pulse
See: Kussmaul, Adolph
monocrotic pulse
A pulse in which the sphygmogram shows a simple ascending and descending uninterrupted line and no dicrotism.
nail pulse
A visible pulsation in the capillaries under the nails.
paradoxical pulse
A decrease in the strength of the pulse (and of systolic blood pressure) during inspiration, a condition that may be esp. prominent in severe asthma, cardiac tamponade, obstructive sleep apnea, croup, and other conditions that alter pressure relationships within the chest.
Synonym: Kussmaul's pulse; pulsus paradoxus
pulse parvus
Pulsus parvus et tardus.
peripheral pulse
A pulse recorded in the arteries (radial or pedal) in the distal portion of the limbs.
pistol-shot pulse
A pulse resulting from rapid distention and collapse of an artery as occurs in aortic regurgitation.
plateau pulse
A pulse associated with an increase in pressure that slowly rises but is maintained.
popliteal pulse
See: Pulse: Popliteal
Quincke's pulse
See: capillary pulse
radial pulse
A pulse felt over the radial artery.
See: Pulse: Radial
rapid pulse
Tachycardia.
regular pulse
A pulse felt when the force and frequency are the same (i.e., when the length of beat and number of beats per minute and the strength are the same).
respiratory pulse
Alternate dilatation and contraction of the large veins of the neck occurring simultaneously with inspiration and expiration.
resting pulse
A pulse rate obtained while an individual is at rest and calm.
Synonym:
basal pulseretrosternal pulse
Riegel's pulse
See: Riegel's pulse
running pulse
A weak, rapid pulse with one wave continuing into the next.
short pulse
slow pulse
A pulse rate that is less than 60 beats per minute.
small pulse
See: pulsus parvus et tardus
soft pulse
A pulse that may be stopped by moderate digital compression.
tense pulse
thready pulse
A fine, scarcely perceptible pulse. Synonym: filiform pulse
Irregular Pulse Definition
tremulous pulse
A pulse in which a series of oscillations is felt with each beat.
tricrotic pulse
A pulse with three separate expansions during each heartbeat.
trigeminal pulse
A pulse with a longer or shorter interval after each three beats because the third beat is an extrasystole.
triphammer pulse
Waterhammer pulse.
undulating pulse
A pulse that seems to have several successive waves.
Irregular Pulse Rate
unequal pulse
A pulse in which beats vary in force. Synonym: asymmetrical radial pulse
vagus pulse
A slow pulse resulting from parasympathetic influence on heart rate, mediated by the vagus nerve.
venous pulse
A pulse in a vein, esp. one of the large veins near the heart, such as the internal or external jugular. Normally it is undulating and scarcely palpable. In conditions such as tricuspid regurgitation, it is pronounced.
vermicular pulse
waterhammer pulse
A pulse with a powerful upstroke and then sudden disappearance; a hallmark of aortic regurgitation.
Synonym:
triphammer pulse; Corrigan's pulse
wiry pulse
A tense pulse that feels like a wire or firm cord.
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