Two terms that describe pulse are which of the following?

• A. Rate and Rhythm
• B. Systole and Diastole
• C. Atrial and Ventricular
• D. Pulse Pressure and Tone

Answer: (A)

Describing a pulse focuses on two aspects: rate and rhythm. Rate is how many beats occur each minute, so you determine if it’s fast, slow, or normal. Rhythm is the pattern of those beats—whether they arrive at regular, evenly spaced intervals or with gaps or irregular timing. Systole and diastole are about the heart’s contraction and relaxation phases and influence blood pressure, but they aren’t used to describe the pulse itself. Atrial and ventricular refer to heart chambers, not how the pulse is described. Pulse pressure and tone relate to the pressure difference in the arteries and the strength of the pulse, not the basic descriptors of rate and rhythm.