1. What is Pulse Deficit?

Pulse deficit is the difference between the heart rate (auscultated at the apex) and the peripheral pulse rate (palpated at the radial artery). It occurs when some heartbeats are not strong enough to create a palpable peripheral pulse.

2. How to Calculate Pulse Deficit

The calculation is simple:

Where:

• Heart Rate — Number of heartbeats per minute (heard via auscultation)
• Peripheral Pulse Rate — Number of palpable pulses per minute (felt at radial artery)

Measurement: Best measured simultaneously by two clinicians - one auscultating the apex and one palpating the radial pulse.

3. Clinical Significance

Details: Pulse deficit is significant in conditions like atrial fibrillation, where irregular heartbeats may not produce effective cardiac output. A large deficit indicates poor cardiac efficiency.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both heart rate (auscultated) and peripheral pulse rate (palpated) in beats per minute. Both values should be positive numbers, with heart rate typically equal to or greater than pulse rate.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a pulse deficit indicate?
A: It suggests that not all heartbeats are producing sufficient cardiac output to create a peripheral pulse, common in arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation.

Q2: What's a normal pulse deficit?
A: Normally 0 - the heart rate and pulse rate should be equal. Any deficit is abnormal and should be investigated.

Q3: How is pulse deficit measured clinically?
A: One clinician listens to the apical pulse while another palpates the radial pulse simultaneously for one minute.

Q4: What conditions cause pulse deficit?
A: Mainly atrial fibrillation, but also frequent premature beats, other arrhythmias, and severe heart failure.

Q5: Does pulse deficit correlate with disease severity?
A: Generally, larger deficits indicate more severe cardiac dysfunction, especially in atrial fibrillation.