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1. Examination of arterial pulse in clinical medicine Dr.Vemuri Chaitanya
2. Pulse The blood forced into aorta during systole not only moves the blood in the vessels forward but also sets up a pressure wave that travels along arteries. The pressure wave expands the arterial wall as it travels , and the expansion is palpable as the pulse.
3. Normal Pulse
4. Normal Arterial Pulse Pulse in ascending aorta rises rapidly to a rounded dome – peak velocity of blood ejected from Lt.ventricle.
Slight anacrotic notch/pause – freq recorded but occasionally felt on asc.limb of pulse.
Descending limb of central aortic pulse is less steep , interupped by incisura , a sharp deflection relation to closure of aortic valve. Immediately pulse wave rises slightly & then declines gradually throughout diastole.
5. Normal Arterial Pulse Percussion wave – in central arterial pulse the rapidly transmitted impact of Lt.Ventricular EF results in a peak in early systole.
Tidal wave – second , smaller peak , presumed to represent the reflected wave from the periphery , often recorded but not normally palpable.
6. Evaluation Rate
Rhythm
Volume
Character
Vessel wall thickness
Radio – radial , radio- femoral delay
Peripheral pulses
Pulse deficit
7. Rate Count the pulse for 1 min / atleast 30 sec
Normal : 60 – 100 /min
Tachycardia : >100 /min
Bradycardia : <60 /min
8. Sinus Tachycardia Physiological : infants , children , emotion, exertion.
Pathological : Tachyarrhythmia- SVT, VT
High output states
Drugs – atropine, nifedipine, nicotine, caffiene
9. Sinus Bradycardia Physiological : atheletes, sleep
Pathological : severe hypoxia
hypothermia
sick sinus syn
myxoedema
obs.jaundice
ac.inf wall MI
raised ICT
Drugs : beta blockers, verapamil,diltiazem
10. Relative Bradycardia Typhoid
H’agic fever
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
11. Rhythm Assessed by palpating radial artery
Regularly irregular : Atrial Tachyarrhythmia with fixed AV block , Ventricular bigemini
Irregularly irregular : atrial /ventricular ectopic
AF
Sinus Arrhythmia : irregular in healthy
accelration – inspiration
slowing down – expiration
due to variation in vagal tone – children, young adult
12. Diff b/w heart block & ectopic Rhythm :
Irregularity changes with exertion – extrasystole / ectopic
Irregularity doesn’t change with exertion – Heart block
13. Volume Assessed by palpating – carotid artery
Pulse pressure – accurate measure of pulse volume ( N – 30 – 60 mm Hg )
Correlates with stroke vol
High vol – elderly
anxiety
emotional excitability
high output states, sys.htn
14. Volume Low vol ( pulsus parvus ) – shock
myocardial ds
valvular ds
pericardial ds
hypovolemia
15. Character Best assessed by palpating – carotid artery
Normal / Abnormal
Abnormal : anacrotic pulse / pulsus parvus et tardus / collapsing pulse / pulsus bisferiens / pulsus alternans / dicrotic pulse / pulsus bigeminus etc..
16. Vessel Wall Thickness Assess the state of medium sized arteries which are palpable.
Method: palpate radial artery with middle 3 fingers.
Occlude proximally & with index finger empty artety by pressing out blood distally.
Applying pressure on either side – roll the artery over underlying bone using middle finger.
17. Radio – femoral Delay Usually 2 radial pulses come simultaneously & femoral comes 5msec before ipsilateral radial pulse.
Delay in femoral pulse – obstruction of aorta – coarctation , aortoarteritis
18. Peripheral PulsesRadial pulse At wrist , lateral to flexor carpi radialis tendon , place your three middle fingers over the radial pulse
19. Carotid Pulse Palpate carotid pulse with the pt lying on a bed / couch
Never compress both carotid arteries simultaneously.
Use your left thumb for right carotid pulse & vice versa.
Place tip of thumb b/w larynx & ant.border of sternocleidomastoid.
20. Brachial pulse Use your thumb ( rt thumb for rt.arm & vice versa ) with your fingers cupped round the back of the elbow.
Brachial pulse – felt in front of the elbow just medial to tendon of biceps.
21. Femoral Pulse Is felt at groin just below inguinal ligament midway b/w ant.sup.iliac.spine & symphysis pubis.
22. Popliteal pulse Knee to be flexed 40 deg. Heel resting on bed
Place fingers over lower part of popliteal fossa & fingers are moved sideways to feel pulsation of Popliteal.A against post.aspect of tibial condyles.
23. Posterior Tibial Pulse Felt just behind medial malleolus , midway b/w medial malleolus & tendo achillis.
24. Dorsalis Pedis Pulse Felt just lateral to tendon of ext.hallucis longus.
25. Apex Pulse Deficit Diff b/w heart rate & pulse rate , when counted simultaneously for one minute.
Diff b/w AF & Ectopics
AF ( > 10 /min ), worsens with exertion.
Ventricular premature beats ( < 10 /min )
26. Bisferiens Pulse 2 systolic peaks ,the percussion & tidal waves separated by distinct midsystolic dip.
Detected more rapidly by palpating carotid artery.
Valsalva / inhalation amyl nitrate
AS+AR, pure AR, HOCM
27. Dicrotic Pulse 2 peaks .
2nd peak is in diastole after S2.
Normally a small wave that follows aortic valve closure ( dicrotic notch ) is exaggerated
Due to very low stroke vol & per. Resistance.
LVF, typhoid, dehydration.
28. Pulsus Alternans Alternating strong & weak pulse.
Palpation of radial, femoral, brachial pulses
Palpation by light pressure, breath held in mid expiration
Better – sphygmomanometry, when sys.pressure alternates by >20mm
29. Pulsus Alternans A sign of severe LV dysfn
Following paroxysmal tachycardia
AR, sys.htn, reducing venous return by adm NTG – exaggerate pulsus alternans & help in detection
30. Pulsus Bigeminus Pulse wave with a normal beat followed by a premature beat & a compensatory pause, occuring in rapid succession – alternation of strength of pulse.
Confused with pulsus alternans ( no compensatory pause )
Sign of digitalis toxicity
31. Pulsus Paradoxus Exaggerated reduction in strength of arterial pulse during normal inspiration due to exaggerated insp fall in sys.pressure (> 10 mm)
>20mm Hg – detected by palpating brachial.a.
Milder fall – by sphygmomanometry.
32. Pulsus Paradoxus Exaggerated insp fall in sys.pressure – reduced LV stroke vol & transmission of –ve intrathoracic pressure to aorta.
Cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis, severe airway obs , SVC obstruction
33. Reversed Pulsus Paradoxus Inspiratory rise in arterial pressure
HOCM
34. Collapsing Pulse Corrigan’s pulse / water hammer pulse
Large vol pulse with rapid upstroke ( high sys.pressure ) & rapid downstroke ( low diastolic pressure )
Rapid upstroke – increased stroke vol
Rapid downstroke – diastolic runoff into Lt.Ven & decreased PR & rapid runoff to periphery.
PDA , AR, AV fistula
35. Pulsus Tardus Upstroke – thrill (carotid shudder)
Peak reduced
Occurs late in systole
Fixed LV obs – Valvular AS , Cong.fibrous subaortic stenosis
Notch on upstroke of carotid pulse (anacrotic notch)- 2 separate waves – anacrotic pulse
36. Pulsus Parvus et Tardus Small vol pulse with delayed systolic peak
Severe AS
37. Hypokinetic & Hyperkinetic Pulses Hypokinetic pulse – small vol, narrow pulse pressure
Eg: cardiac failure, MS, AS, Shock
Hyperkinetic pulse: large vol , wide pulse pressure
Eg : high output states , MR, VSD
38. Recording Of BP Pulsus paradoxus :inflate bp cuff to suprasystolic level & deflate slowly @ 2mm/heart beat.
Note - Peak sys.pressure during expiration
Now deflate more slowly – note pressure when korotkoff sound – audible throughout resp.cycle
If diff > 10 mm Hg - pulsus pardoxus +
39. Recording BP Pulsus alternans :inflate BP cuff to suprasystolic level & deflate slowly .
+ if alteration of intensity of korotkoff sounds+
40. Thank You