Methodology of taking radial pulse

1. SMOLENSK STATE
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
ASSESSING RADIAL
PULSE
-Joisy Aloor & Mitchele Kaka
Group No:113

2. DEFINITION OF RADIAL PULSE
 Pulse of the radial artery(felt in the wrist).
 It is typically taken by applying finger pressure
to the inner wrist and counting the heartbeats.
 Most common form of checking a pulse.
 Measuring the pulse provides information on
the regularity of heartbeat(heart rhythm) and
indication of strength of heart contraction.

4. ASSESSING RADIAL PULSE
 Left ventricle contracts causing a wave of
blood to surge radial arteries called radial
pulse.
 Felt by palpating lightly against underlying
bone or muscle.

5.  Radial pulse is felt by light compression of the
radial artery over the lower end of radius, in
front of the wrist.
 The wrist should be relaxed to get a good
pulse.
 Sometimes the radial artery may be aberrant
and felt in the anatomical snuff box, on the
lateral aspect of the wrist, just distal to the
radius.

6.  It is mandatory to check therefore concluding that
the radial pulse is absent.
 Radial pulse is assessed further by a method
known as trisection or Osler’s manoeuver
(compression using three fingers).
 Compression by the first and last fingers occludes
flow from radial artery and retrograde flow from
ulnar artery through palmar arch.
 This helps us to assess the vessel wall thickness,
which is done by the middle finger.

8. PROCEDURE
 Wash hands/hand hygiene. Reduces
transmission of microorganisms.
 Inform the patient where pulse will be
measured.
 Make sure the patient’s heartbeat is at its
resting rate.
 Straighten the patient’s elbow and face the
inside of his/her wrist upward.

9.  Position the index and middle finger of your
dominant hand so the tips of the two fingers
align.
 Ask the patient to form a fist.
 With the help of your finger tips, apply
pressure on patient’s wrist till you feel his/her
pulse.
 Count the number of heartbeats in 30
seconds.

10.  To obtain the patient’s pulse multiply the
number with 2.
 Continue for 1 minute if the patient’s heartbeat
is irregular.
 Record the medical result in the patient’s
medical chart as per instructions.
 At last wash your hands again in order to
prevent spreading of infection.

12. RATE & RHYTHM
 Normal: 60-100 bpm , average 80 bpm.
 Tachycardia: greater than 100 bpm.
 Bradycardia: less than 60 bpm.
 Rhythm: the pattern of the
beats(regular/irregular)
 In addition to gender and age, exercise,
medications, decrease in oxygen saturation,
blood loss, body temperature can all influence
a patient pulse rate.

13. AGE HEART RATE (BEATS/MIN)
INFANTS 120-160
TODDLERS 90-140
PRESCHOOLERS 80-110
SCHOOL AGERS 75-100
ADOLSCENTS 60-90
ADULTS 60-100
NORMAL HEART RATE

15. OUTLOOK
 Assessing radial pulse rate assess the rhythm,
strength, and rate of a patient’s peripheral pulse
provides valuable information about the
cardiovascular system.
 The rhythm of the pulse is usually regular,
reflecting the time interval between each
heartbeat.
 The strength of the pulse correlates with the
volume of blood being ejected against the arterial
walls with each contraction of the heart.

16.  Pulse strength is usually described as absent,
weak, diminished, strong, or bounding.
 If blood volume decreases, the pulse is often
weak and difficult to palpate.
 If blood volume increases, the pulse is often
bounding and easy to palpate.
 Although peripheral pulses are palpable at a
variety of body sites, the radial pulse is the easiest
to access and is therefore the most frequently
checked peripheral pulse.

17.  Assessment of other peripheral sites, such as the
carotid or femoral pulses, is not usually part of
routine vital-sign measurement.
 Clinicians typically access these sites when
performing a complete physical examination.
 When they cannot palpate peripheral pulses, they
use a Doppler ultrasound stethoscope to confirm
the presence or absence of the pulse.

18. THANK YOU