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Pulse - weak or absent

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

A weak pulse means you have difficulty feeling a person's pulse (heart beat). An absent pulse means you can not detect a pulse at all.

See also: CPR

Alternative Names:

Weak pulse; Absent pulse

Considerations:

An absent or weak pulse may affect all or one part of the body.

If a pulse cannot be detected by a non-medical professional, it doesn't always mean there is a problem. Sometimes, it can be hard for a non-medical person to detect a pulse in certain areas.

Common Causes:

• Improper technique used to feel for the pulse
• Normally weak pulse that is difficult to measure without proper instruments
• Shock
• Cardiac arrest (lack of an effective heartbeat)

• Review Date: 1/22/2007
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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