can we say pulse rate is equal to heart beat
Answers
Discussing heart rate vs. pulse can be a confusing when trying to decipher the two. Essentially, they are two separate measurements and indicators of health but are closely related. The heart is a muscular pump that with each heart beat pumps blood throughout the body. A pulse is what you feel over an artery as the pressure increases within it following each heartbeat.
For adults, the general consensus is a normal pulse rate falls into the range of 60 to 100 beats per minute. Having a rate that exceeds this is known as tachycardia – a heart rate that exceeds normal resting rate. Tachycardia may be caused by hypovolemia, rises in body temperature, stress, heart disease, exercise, or even when using certain medication.
What are heart and pulse rates?
Heart rate is measured by counting the number of heart beats in one minute; beats per minute. A heart beat is the sounds of the heart valves opening and closing in response to pressure differences. During each heart beat blood is pushed throughout the body, augmenting blood pressure and therefore the pulse rate in the main arteries. Accurate heart rates can be measured from the thorax with a heart rate transmitter or by electrocardiograph (ECG/EKG).
Pulse rate is the measure palpable blood pressure increases throughout the body that occurs with each heartbeat. Pulse rate is basically the physical sensation of a heart beat felt through the arterial vascular system. Pulse can be measured from the earlobe with a pulse meter known as a Photo Reflectance or Infrared Sensor Monitor. Your pulse can vary with body movements and should, therefore, be measured while at rest. An easy way to measure pulse rate is to place your fingers at the base of the thumb at the wrist, or at the neck, just next to your windpipe.
Heart rate is the number of times per minute that the heart contracts - the number of heart beats per minute (bpm).
Heart rate is most accurately measured from the thorax with the transmitter of heart rate monitor or the electrodes of the electrocardiograph (EKG).
Pulse is the mechanical pulse of blood flow through the capillaries caused by the contractions of the heart per minute.
Pulse can be measured from an earlobe with a pulse meter (also called photoreflectance or infrared sensor monitor) containing a photocell sensor. Pulse meters are not very reliable when used out of doors because of the changes in ambient light. In addition, they are rather sensitive to body movements and are not accurate during intensive exercise. This is because of the movement of the device during exercise and because the blood flows smoothly without distinctive intervals in the thin blood vessels of the earlobe.
Pulse can also be measured by palpating during rest. Pulse can be found at the base of thumb at the wrist, or at the neck just to the side of the windpipe. It can be measured with index and middle fingers by counting the beats in 15 seconds and by multiplying the count by 4 to get a rough estimate of the heart rate per minute.
Palpating is not an accurate method to receive exercise heart rate. If one wants to check his/her exercise heart rate manually, the measurement should be done immediately after stopping because the heart rate will start to slow down as the body recover