The arteries used for taking a pulse are the:
Assess a patient's pulse through the radial artery or the carotid artery based on their level of consciousness Show A question posted on Quora asked, "Which artery will you choose for taking pulse in an emergency situation? Why?" EMT Ross Cohen gave his opinion on the topic. Read his response, and add your own to the comments. ByRoss Cohen This article was originally posted Dec. 8, 2014. It has been updated. There are many things in medicine that are merely a matter of preference or style. How to check a patient's pulse is not one of those things. It's a clear enough choice, a logical decision with a right answer and a wrong answer that dictate what the standard operating procedure should be, and I would correct any trainee I was precepting who did otherwise.
In a conscious adult, the radial artery is the preferred pulse point, for a number of reasons:
In an unconscious/unresponsive adult, the preferred pulse point is the carotid artery.
There are advantages and disadvantages for each method of checking a pulse, and some are more relevant in some situations than others. With any medical procedure, the benefits and efficacy of different options must be weighed against their risks. The level of invasiveness, ease or difficulty and necessity of frequent or extended checks, the emotional effect and the level of urgency must all be considered. There's not much to be gained from initially checking the carotid pulse of a conscious adult in most circumstances, but there are several downsides noted above. Conversely, there are no downsides to going right to the carotid on an unconscious adult. Absent special circumstances, conscious adults should get a radial pulse check and unconscious adults should get a carotid check. Read next: How to find and assess a radial pulse About the author Ross Cohen is an EMT and publisher of Quora's "Political Clarity, Demystifying U.S. Politics." About the authorThe EMS1 Community Q&A section features EMTs and paramedics answering questions from "Why don't paramedics run to patients?", to "What medic habits can't you shake?" From the lighthearted, to the clinical, we've asked and you've answered. Have a question you'd like to ask the EMS1 audience? Email us at . What are the four 4 key arteries you can use for taking a pulse?The pulse is readily distinguished at the following locations: (1) at the point in the wrist where the radial artery approaches the surface; (2) at the side of the lower jaw where the external maxillary (facial) artery crosses it; (3) at the temple above and to the outer side of the eye, where the temporal artery is ...
Why are arteries used for pulse?Arteries carry oxygenated blood away 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 pushing of the blood in the heart followed by a refilling of the heart chamber.
Where do you take the pulse from?place your index and middle fingers on the side of their neck, in the soft hollow area just beside their windpipe. using a clock or watch that counts seconds, count how many beats you feel in a minute, or count them over 30 seconds and multiply the number by 2 to work how many beats a minute.
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