Pulse Deficit: Causes, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management

Pulse Deficit: Causes, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management

1. Introduction A pulse deficit is a distinct clinical finding defined as the numerical difference between the apical heart rate—the actual number of ventricular contractions heard directly over the heart with a stethoscope—and the peripheral pulse rate, typically palpated at the radial artery in the wrist. In a healthy cardiovascular system, every contraction of the … Read more