As a rule, the pulse rate coincides with the heart rate. Various factors, such as exercise, stress or certain diseases, can influence the pulse rate in the short or long term. The pulse describes the mechanical and rhythmic expansion as well as contraction of the vessel walls caused by cardiac activity and the pressure wave triggered by it. In a narrower sense, pulse is understood to be the vascular expansion of the arteries, which can be detected by touch or electronic measurement at specific regions of the body.
As a result, the blood does not flow evenly through the vessels, but in waves that can be felt as a pulse. The pulse occurs in the arterial and venous parts of the vascular system. The arterial pulse, i. The venous pulse, i. The pulsations visible in the blood capillaries, especially in the area of the skin, are called capillary pulses.
Oxygen-rich blood travels from the lungs to the heart and from there to the body via the arteries. Oxygen-poor blood enters the heart via the veins and returns to the lungs.
Depending on the physical activity, the pulse can be divided into different types. At physical rest lying or sitting , the so-called resting pulse or resting heart rate is normally between 60 and 80 beats per minute in healthy adults.
The training heart rate is the optimal pulse rate for long-term endurance training. The maximum heart rate describes the pulse rate at maximum physical exertion.
