What is the difference between a heart rate and a pulse rate?
Heart rate is the rate of heart contractions over a given time period, usually defined in beats per minute. A pulse can be defined as the rhythmical dilation of a vessel produced by the increased volume of blood forced into the vessel by the contraction of the heart. The pulse can be felt at many different points on the body, with the wrist and neck among the most easily accessible. The heart rate is usually measured by a sensing device such as electrodes that pick up the electrical activity of the heart, which regulates contractions, The pulse rate is commonly measured by lightly touching ones fingers over an artery to count the rate of pulsation. There are certain situations, such as an irregular heartbeat or a premature beat, where a heart contraction will not force out enough blood to be measured as a pulse. Only in these cases, the pulse rate will be different from the heart rate.
