Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Pulse - weak or absent

Alternative Names:

Weak pulse; Absent pulse

Home Care:

Follow the treatment prescribed by your health care provider. CPR may be necessary!

Call your health care provider if:

Call your health care provider if there is any sudden, severe, or long-lasting decrease in the pulse quality or rate, particularly when accompanied by other symptoms.

Shock is a life-threatening condition. Seek immediately medical help if you think someone has gone into shock.

A loss of consciousness or disorientation suggests that there is not enough blood getting to the brain. Seek immediately medical help.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your medical provider will obtain a medical history, do a physical exam, and ask questions like:

Physical examination may include monitoring of the vital signs (pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure ). Emergency measures will be taken as necessary. Continued monitoring may be necessary.

Diagnostic tests may include:

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com