From this article you will learn: how to measure the pulse on your own at home. Methods of hardware measurement, advantages and disadvantages of various methods.
"Manual" method of pulse measurement
Pulse - these are wave fluctuations of the walls of blood vessels in response to the inflow of blood into them as a result of cardiac contractions. Its characteristics reflect the work of the cardiovascular system, the pulse can diagnose various pathologies.
The pulse rate can be fixed on any palpable artery of the body. In thin people it is even possible to feel the pulsation of the abdominal part of the aorta, if you press it with the palm of your hand to the vertebral column. However, in practice this method is not applied, since it is easier to feel the peripheral vessels with your fingers.
"Manual" pulse measurement method
Pulsation is determined in those parts of the body where the arteries go close to the skin surface and are located above the bone formations. Most often, the pulse on the arm( wrist) is fixed - the radial method. To do this, put 4 fingers on the forearm just above the wrist and press them against the radius bone.
Count the number of strokes within 30-60 seconds. Perform a measurement in 15 seconds and multiply the result by 4 - faster, but this can lead to an error with an irregular rhythm. The most reliable measurement is 1 full minute.
The pulse can also be measured in other places:
- in the ulnar fold - ulnar;
- on the front surface of the neck - carotid;
- in the groin - femoral;
- in popliteal fossa - popliteal;
- on the inner side of the ankle - tibia;
- on the foot - in place of articulation of the thumb and foot from the underside.
With low filling, reduced pressure, the pulse is measured with a stethoscope.
| Manual measurement | |
|---|---|
| cons. The simplest method that is always available | Not the highest accuracy( it depends on the sensitivity of the fingers of the person conducting the measurement and its care) |
Use of special heart rate monitors at home
Patients with various types of arrhythmias, professional athletes, as well as people involved in sports for themselves, requires a constant or periodic( during training) control of heart rate.
In these cases, special devices - pulse meters - in the form of watches or bracelets will help. They accurately fix the rhythm of the heart, they can also record the data, process them and give the average value of the pulse for a set period of time. When using wrist bracelets, usually put five-second time intervals and the output of the average heart rate per minute.
Click on the picture to enlarge Wristwatches are equipped with sound or vibration sensors, with which they notify a person of exceeding the specified limit. By default, without individual settings, the signal comes when the ripple exceeds 220 beats per minute.
| Measurement with | heart rate Analogs |
|---|---|
| Using heart rate monitors allows you to control the frequency of heart contractions for a long time. Some devices are able to record heart activity with the subsequent transfer of data to the computer. | These instruments are not certified medical instruments, and it is impossible to use their indications to make any diagnosis. |
When monitoring this way, it is necessary to keep a record of the level of physical activity and emotional state.
Professional medical devices for pulse measurement
- The simplest device in this group is an electronic semiautomatic or automatic tonometer. He not only fixes the value of heartbeats, but also measures blood pressure. It is easy to use, it can be used independently or in a medical institution.
- Counting the pulse allows electrocardiography. With the help of sensors on the tape, record the rhythm of work of each heart department, calculate the frequency of cardiac contractions by the number of peaks of cardiac activity.
- In rare episodes of arrhythmia, when conventional methods can not detect violations of heart rate and pulsations, use daily monitoring by Holter. The method is based on ECG recording during the day. During monitoring, the patient keeps a diary of his own activity, in which he records what he did and how he felt.
Instrumental methods for diagnosing the state of the heart muscle also measure the heart rate:
- ECHO-KG - ultrasound scanning of the heart.
- Phonocardiography is the electronic recording of cardiac murmurs.
- Ultrasound scan of Doppler vessels.
Patients in extremely difficult conditions, where resuscitation is required, need constant medical supervision. To do this, use complex diagnostic equipment - bedside monitors - which record the slightest changes in vital parameters. They permanently display the pulse on the screen, the frequency of breathing, ECG and other indicators.
Use of bedside monitors for fixing vital parameters in severe patients | Pros of professional heart rate devices | Disadvantages of |
|---|---|
| High accuracy of measurements with the possibility of using the data obtained for diagnosis. Also these devices are highly sensitive, they know how to fix the rhythm changes instantly, which is required when controlling the condition of severe patients. | Incompatibility in household conditions, large dimensions and certain inconveniences of pulsation control in outpatient and home settings( for example, when examining heart function according to Holter). |
