30 Questions
What is the medical term for an excessively fast heart rate?
Tachycardia
Why does the pulse rate increase in response to stress?
As a result of sympathetic nervous system stimulation
Why is the apical pulse assessed for clients with known cardiovascular diseases?
To check for pulse deficit
What condition is characterized by a pulse rhythm with irregular beats?
Dysrhythmia
What does an apical-radial pulse rate discrepancy indicate?
A weak thrust of blood from the heart
What is the pulse wave created by?
Contraction of the left ventricle of the heart
What does cardiac output represent?
The volume of blood in one minute
Where is the apical pulse located?
At the apex of the heart
What is the result of stroke volume (SV) times heart rate (HR) per minute called?
Cardiac output
How does age affect pulse rate?
Pulse rate gradually decreases overall
The pulse wave represents the volume of blood that enters the veins with each ventricular contraction.
False
Cardiac output is calculated by multiplying stroke volume (SV) by heart rate (HR) per minute.
True
The apical pulse is located at the apex of the heart and is also known as the point of minimal impulse (PMI).
False
The pulse rate gradually increases overall as age increases.
False
A peripheral pulse is a pulse located near the heart, for example, in the foot or wrist.
False
The pulse rate increases in response to the lowered blood pressure that results from peripheral vasodilation associated with elevated body temperature.
True
Anemia is a form of hypovolemia.
False
A pulse deficit occurs when the apical pulse rate is greater than the radial pulse rate.
False
The apical-radial pulse assessment is commonly indicated for clients with known cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal diseases.
True
The forceful or full blood volume that is obliterated only with difficulty is called a weak, feeble, or thready pulse.
False
What is the term for a pulse rate greater than 100 beats/min in an adult?
tachycardia
What is the term for a pulse rate less than 60 beats/min in an adult?
bradycardia
What is the term for a pulse rhythm with irregular beats?
dysrhythmia or arrhythmia
What is the term for the force of blood with each beat, also called the pulse strength or amplitude?
pulse volume
When assessing the pulse, what is the term for a pulse that is readily obliterated with pressure from the fingers?
weak, feeble, or thready
What is the formula for calculating cardiac output?
Cardiac output = Stroke volume (SV) × Heart rate (HR) per minute
Where is the apical pulse located?
At the apex of the heart
What factors can affect the pulse rate?
Age, sex, exercise, fever
What is a peripheral pulse and give an example location?
A pulse located away from the heart, e.g., in the foot or wrist
What does the pulse wave represent?
The volume of blood that enters the arteries with each ventricular contraction
Study Notes
Pulse Rate and Cardiac Output
- Tachycardia is the medical term for an excessively fast heart rate, defined as a pulse rate greater than 100 beats/min in an adult.
- Bradycardia is the medical term for a pulse rate less than 60 beats/min in an adult.
- The pulse rate increases in response to stress due to peripheral vasodilation associated with elevated body temperature, which leads to lowered blood pressure.
Apical Pulse
- The apical pulse is located at the apex of the heart and is also known as the point of minimal impulse (PMI).
- The apical pulse is assessed for clients with known cardiovascular diseases, such as anemia, which is a form of hypovolemia.
- The apical-radial pulse assessment is commonly indicated for clients with known cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal diseases.
Pulse Wave and Cardiac Output
- The pulse wave represents the volume of blood that enters the veins with each ventricular contraction.
- Cardiac output represents the forceful or full blood volume that is obliterated only with difficulty and is calculated by multiplying stroke volume (SV) by heart rate (HR) per minute.
- The formula for calculating cardiac output is SV x HR per minute.
Pulse Characteristics
- A pulse rhythm with irregular beats is characterized as arrhythmia or irregular pulse.
- A pulse that is readily obliterated with pressure from the fingers is termed a bounding pulse.
- A weak, feeble, or thready pulse is characterized by a forceful or full blood volume that is obliterated only with difficulty.
Peripheral Pulse
- A peripheral pulse is a pulse located near the body's periphery, such as in the foot or wrist.
- Examples of peripheral pulse locations include the radial pulse in the wrist and the tibial pulse in the ankle.
Factors Affecting Pulse Rate
- Age: the pulse rate gradually increases overall as age increases.
- Stress: pulse rate increases in response to stress.
- Other factors that can affect pulse rate include cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal diseases.
Test your knowledge of vital signs and pulse in the context of nursing. This quiz covers the definition of pulse, its relation to stroke volume and cardiac output, and the compliance of arteries.
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