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| Definition: | Difficulty in feeling a pulse or an inability to detect a pulse at all. See also the information on CPR for more information about first-aid procedures.
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| Alternative Names: | Weak pulse; Absent pulse
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| Considerations: | An absent or weak pulse may be localized (affecting one limb) or systemic (affecting the whole body).
The absence of a pulse as determined by a lay person may not indicate disease. Sometimes the process of feeling the pulse (such as in the wrist) will diminish or obliterate a superficial pulse.
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| 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)
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Review Date: 11/20/2001
Reviewed By: Donna R. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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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 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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