Question

What is the relationship between the rate of heart beat and pulse?

Answer 1

Heart beat:

1. Heart functions by pumping the blood.
2. Cardiac cycle refers to the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the heart muscles.
3. The sequence followed to complete one cardiac cycle is as follows:
   1. The auricles contract first, pushing the blood into the ventricles in a process called atrial systole.
   2. The ventricles follow up with contraction in a fraction of second to force the blood to enter the pulmonary artery and aorta (ventricular systole). auricles relax simultaneously (Atrial diastole)
   3. After contraction, the ventricles also relax (ventricular diastole) leading to a condition of joint diastole.
   4. The cycle repeats as blood flows in from the pulmonary veins and vena cava into the auricles.
4. Heart beat or heart rate rate is the number of times that the heart rhythmically contracts and relaxes per minute.
5. On an average the heart beats 72 times per minute.

Pulse rate:

1. As the ventricles contract, the blood moves into the arteries with high pressure.
2. The contraction and relaxation of the arteries with each heartbeat creates a throbbing which is called the pulse.
3. On an average the pulse rate is 60-100 beats per minute.
4. The pulse can be felt in the wrist and the neck.