Pulse Sites and Pulse Sights Anatomy Quiz and Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of using a Doppler ultrasound stethoscope for assessing pulses?

To measure the oxygen saturation in the blood

To assess the pulse rate accurately

To detect movement of red blood cells through a blood vessel (correct)

To monitor the client's respiratory rate

Which pulse site is located behind the medial malleolus?

Carotid pulse

Radial pulse

Posterior tibial pulse (correct)

Brachial pulse

What does assessing the apical pulse help determine?

The client's temperature

Whether the cardiac rate is within normal range and the rhythm is regular (correct)

The oxygen level in the blood

Whether the client is dehydrated

Which pulse site requires the use of a stethoscope for assessment?

Apical pulse Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of obtaining the radial pulse?

To establish baseline data for subsequent evaluation Signup and view all the answers

Why are the middle three fingertips used for palpating most pulse sites except the apex of the heart?

To avoid missing weak pulses Signup and view all the answers

What is another term for the point of maximal impulse (PMI) of the heart?

Central pulse Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to a pulse located away from the heart, such as in the foot or wrist?

Peripheral pulse Signup and view all the answers

What does an irregular pulse rhythm indicate?

Dysrhythmia or arrhythmia Signup and view all the answers

What does pulse volume, also known as pulse strength or amplitude, refer to?

The force of blood with each beat Signup and view all the answers

How does age affect the pulse rate over time?

Decreases overall Signup and view all the answers

Where would you find the apical pulse of the heart typically located?

At the apex of the heart Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes to a professional athlete having a lower rate of pulse increase during activity compared to an average person?

Greater cardiac size and strength Signup and view all the answers

Where is the apical pulse located in an adult?

Left side of the chest, about 8 cm to the left of the sternum Signup and view all the answers

Where is the femoral pulse site located?

Alongside the inguinal ligament Signup and view all the answers

At what age does the location of an apical pulse change from left of the midclavicular line to at the midclavicular line?

4-6 years old Signup and view all the answers

Which pulse site is located on the inner aspect of the biceps muscle or medially in the antecubital space?

Brachial Signup and view all the answers

Where is the temporal pulse site located?

Over the temporal bone of the head Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Pulse Rate and Exercise

The average male's pulse rate is slightly lower than the female's after puberty.
Pulse rate normally increases with activity.
Professional athletes often have a lower rate of pulse increase due to greater cardiac size, strength, and efficiency.

Pulse Sites

Temporal pulse site: where the temporal artery passes over the temporal bone of the head, superior and lateral to the eye.
Carotid pulse site: at the side of the neck where the carotid artery runs between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Apical pulse site: at the apex of the heart, located on the left side of the chest in adults.
Brachial pulse site: at the inner aspect of the biceps muscle of the arm or medially in the antecubital space.
Radial pulse site: where the radial artery runs along the radial bone, on the thumb side of the inner aspect of the wrist.
Femoral pulse site: where the femoral artery passes alongside the inguinal ligament.
Popliteal pulse site: where the popliteal artery passes behind the knee.
Posterior tibial pulse site: on the medial surface of the ankle where the posterior tibial artery passes behind the medial malleolus.
Dorsalis pedis pulse site: where the dorsalis pedis artery passes over the bones of the foot, on an imaginary line drawn from the middle of the ankle to the space between the big and second toes.

Assessing the Pulse

Palpation (feeling) and auscultation (hearing) are common methods for assessing the pulse.
Middle three fingertips are used for palpating all pulse sites except the apex of the heart.
A stethoscope is used for assessing apical pulses.
A Doppler ultrasound stethoscope is used for pulses that are difficult to assess.

Apical Pulse

The apical pulse is used to obtain the heart rate of an adult with an irregular peripheral pulse.
It is used to establish baseline data for subsequent evaluation.
It determines whether the cardiac rate is within normal range and the rhythm is regular.
It is used to monitor clients with cardiac, pulmonary, or renal disease and those receiving medications to improve heart action.

Pulse

The pulse is a wave of blood created by contraction of the left ventricle of the heart.
It represents the stroke volume output or the amount of blood that enters the arteries with each ventricular contraction.
Cardiac output is the volume of blood pumped into the arteries by the heart and equals the result of the stroke volume (SV) times the heart rate (HR) per minute.

Factors Affecting the Pulse

Age: pulse rate gradually decreases with increasing age.
Sex: the average male's pulse rate is slightly lower than the female's after puberty.
Tachycardia: an excessively fast heart rate (e.g., over 100 beats/min in an adult).
Bradycardia: a heart rate in an adult of less than 60 beats/min.
Dysrhythmia or arrhythmia: a pulse with an irregular rhythm.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the anatomical locations of pulse sites like posterior tibial and dorsalis pedis. Learn about the reasons for using specific pulse sites in assessing the pulse, whether through palpation or auscultation.