Heart rate. Description

Pulse is an oscillatory movement of the walls of arteries of an impulsive nature. These fluctuations occur as a result of changes in blood pressure in them with cardiac contractions. The nature (rhythm, tension, filling, frequency) of the pulse depends on the heart activity and the state of the arteries. Change in the nature of fluctuations can be due to mental stress, work, changes in the surrounding temperature, the introduction of certain substances (drugs, alcohol and others) into the body.

The pulse rate is measured using various methods. The simplest is feeling. It is carried out, as a rule, at the base of the first (large) finger on the palmar surface of the left forearm. Feel the radial artery. In order for the pulse rate to be felt most clearly, the hand should be in a relaxed state, lying without tension, freely.

It should be said that the oscillations are probed on other arteries (for example, the ulnar, femoral, temporal and other arteries). The normal heart rate is seventy to eighty beats per minute.

Counting the number of oscillations is carried out within fifteen or thirty seconds. The received amount is multiplied by two or four, respectively. So, you get the pulse rate per minute. If there are significant changes in the number of vibrations, counting is carried out for one minute, in order to avoid an error. In the case history, a record is made daily or a pulse curve is drawn similarly to the temperature curve on a temperature sheet.

The number of oscillations under physiological conditions is determined by the influence of many factors.

So, the pulse rate depends on the age. As practice shows, the number of fluctuations decreases with age. The highest pulse rate in children in the first years of life.

The number of strokes depends on the nature of the muscular work. Against the background of physical exertion, the pulse accelerates. The increase occurs also against the background of emotional loads.

The change in the number of oscillations also occurs depending on the time of day. So, at night during sleep, the pulse rate decreases.

The number of strokes is directly related to sex. It was found that in women the pulse rate is five to ten times higher than that of men.

The nature of oscillations is greatly influenced by various substances. For example, adrenaline, atropine, caffeine, alcohol increase the frequency, but the digitalis, on the contrary, slows down.

The number of vibrations greater than ninety beats per minute is called tachycardia. Acceleration of the pulse is typical for physical exertion, emotional stress, changes in the position of the trunk. Prolonged tachycardia can be caused by an increase in temperature. Against the background of fever, an increase in temperature by one degree leads to an increase in heart rate by 8-10 beats / min. The patient's condition is all the worse, the stronger the frequency of the oscillations exceeds the temperature index. Particular danger is the condition, when the number of strokes increases with a drop in body temperature.