Radial pulse

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Radial pulse

Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues of the body. Veins carry blood depleted of oxygen from the same tissues back to the heart. The arteries are the vessels with the "pulse," a rhythmic swelling that occurs as the heart pumps blood. To determine heart rate, feel the beats at a pulse point like the inside of your wrist for 10 seconds, and multiplies this number by six. This is the per-minute total.

Review Date: 5/21/2012
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

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