Introduction and Pulse

Foundation Information

A state of equilibrium (balance) within the body maintained through the adaptation of body systems to changes in either the internal or external environment.

To better understand homeostasis watch the 2 videos on the class website

Can lead to shockLife-threatening medical condition as a

result of insufficient blood flow throughout the body

Often accompanies severe injury or illness

Can lead to Hypoxia- lack of oxygen in tissues Heart attack Organ damage Death

Requires immediate treatment as symptoms can become worse quickly

Signs and symptoms of shockRapid weak pulsePale, blue/grey, cold/clammy skin

Nausea and thirstRapid shallow breathingUncounsciousness

Treatment of shockTreat cause of shock firstRaise and support legsKeep injured person warmCall EMSCalm and reassure injured person

Monitor constantly

Vital signs are objective measurements that provide data to determine a persons state of health

Pulse Respiration Blood Pressure Temperature

In addition, height and weight are also taken as they can provide insight on the health of an individual.

Number of times the heart contracts per minute. Pulse is measured in beats per minute and is abbreviated bpm. The medical abbreviation for pulse is P.

Fitness Professionals are concerned with Resting HRExercise HRRecovery HR

Normal pulse rate varies depending on age.

For the healthy adult the normal resting pulse ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minuteAverage is 70 to 80 bpm

Tachycardia is characterized as a fast heart rate which is more than 100 beats per minute. This may indicate a patient has some sort of heart disease or the person just finished with vigorous exercise.

Bradycardia is characterized as an abnormally low heart rate which is fewer than 60 beats per minute. This may occur during sleep or with trained athletes.

Pulse is measured by applying moderate pressure on arteries with the sensitive pads located on the tips of the index and middle fingers

Arteries: Carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. The blood is typically oxygenated*.

Veins: Carry blood back to the heart. The blood is typically deoxygenated*.

*What body system will cause the veins and arteries to flip their oxygen content? Write down an answer, you’ll get

the correct answer during the class discussion. It’s okay if you’re

incorrect, at least you tried!

If you took all the blood vessels out of an average child and laid them out in a line, the line would stretch over 60,000 miles.

An adults would be closer to 100,000 miles

Manual Palpation Telemetry (Heart Rate Monitor)

Electrocardiogram

3 Common SitesRadialBrachialCarotid

Lightly press the index and middle fingers against the radial artery in the grove on the anterior surface of the lateral wrist closest to the thumb

Located in a groove between the biceps and triceps muscles on the medial side of the arm. This location is also used for the auscultation of blood pressure

The action of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope, as a part of medical diagnosis.

Press fingers lightly along the medial border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the lower neck region. Should only be used in unable to palpate pulse in the other sites.

Carotid

Brachial

Radial

May lead to an underestimation of true heart rate because baroreceptors on the carotid sinus region become stimulated when touched.

May reflexively reduce the client’s heart rate as the baroreceptors sense a false increase in blood pressure. This is known as the baroreceptor reflex.

Sensors located in the blood vessels.

Sense blood pressure and relay the information to the brain so that a proper blood pressure can be maintained.

Baroreceptors are located in the carotid sinus.

For a better understanding watch the video on the class webpage

Locate anatomic site Gently press down with 2 fingers over the

palpation site Count the number of pulsations for a

specific time period Begin counting the first pulsation as 1

Determine heart rate based upon the number of pulsations in a given time period. Accuracy of heart rate increases with longer palpation times

10 seconds = multiply number of pulsations by 6

15 seconds = multiply number of pulsations by 4

30 seconds = multiply number of pulsations by 2

Correct answers will be provided at the end of the slideshow. Remember to include BPM

22 pulses in a 15 second count

66 pulses in a 30 second count

18 pulses in a 10 second count

Correct answers will be provided at the end of the slideshow. Remember to include BPM

43 pulses in a 15 second count

67 pulses in a 30 second count

26 pulses in a 10 second count

Temporal Artery

Femoral Artery

Popliteal Artery

Dorsal Pedis

Clients and athletes may wish to monitor their heart rate during exercise.

In order to effectively utilize heart rate as a measure of intensity the pulse check must be taken immediately after vigorous (intense) exercise.

It is important to continue moving while taking the pulse to prevent blood from pooling in the extremities and causing light-headedness.

Occurs when the walls or valves in the leg veins do not work effectively and make it difficult for the blood to return to the heart.

Occurs after exercise because the muscles help push blood back to the heart when they contract. Following exercise the muscles stop putting pressure on the veins and causes blood to pool in the lower body.

Can lead to hypotension, dizziness and possibly passing out.

Also occurs in people with heart disease and poor circulation.

Normal Level 1

Level 2 Level 3

When measuring exercise heart rate take the pulse for either 15 seconds and multiply by 4 or 30 seconds and multiply by 2 to convert it to a 1 minute value (bpm).

The 30 second count may be more accurate, but typically the 15 second count is used because heart rate may decrease rapidly.

When clients experience difficulty in palpating the pulse the use of a heart rate monitor (also known as telemetry) as a learning tool to check the accuracy of the palpated heart rate.

With telemetry the participant wears an electronic heart rate monitor strapped to his or her chest. Heart rate is then transferred to a watch.

Benefits1.Gives relatively accurate results2.No need to stop activity to determine heart rate3.Client is able to see where the heart rate is at any time which can provide extra motivation.

Electrocardiograms can also be used to monitor heart rates. Electrodes are placed on the skin of the chest which measures the electrical activity of the heart. Although, they are more likely to be used in a cardiac rehabilitation setting versus a personal training setting.

Beta-blockers are medications prescribed for hypertension which significantly decreases resting heart rate and may affect exercise response to heart rate.

Correct answers will be given at the end of the slideshow

Resting Pulse: 78 beats per minute Exercise Pulse: 168 beats per minute

while performing 1.5 mile run test. Pulse taken at 1 mile mark.

Recovery Pulse:136 beats per minute, 1 minute after Queens College Step Test

Your heart beats about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.

The average healthy mouth produces about 600 milliliters of saliva each day. That's enough to fill a 12-ounce soda bottle.

 Approximately 80-90% of what we perceive as "taste" actually is due to our sense of smell.

Red blood cells may live for about four months circulating throughout the body, feeding the 60 trillion other body cells. Red blood cells make approximately 250,000 round trips of the body before returning to the bone marrow, where they were born, to die.

22 pulses in a 15 second count 22 X 4 = 88 BPM

66 pulses in a 30 second count 66 X 2 = 132 BPM

18 pulses in a 10 second count 18 X 6 = 108 BPM

43 pulses in a 15 second count 43 X 4 = 172 BPM

67 pulses in a 30 second count 67 X 2 = 134 BPM

26 pulses in a 10 second count 26 X 6 = 156 BPM

Resting Pulse:Date, Time Resting P was measured at 78 bpm

and is WNL. Signature with title Exercise Pulse

Date, Time While performing the 1.5 mile run test, P was recorded at the 1 mile mark and was 168 bpm. Signature with title

Recovery PulseDate, Time Recovery Pulse was taken 1 minute

following the Queens College Step Test. P was recorded at 136 bpm. Signature with title.