How to examine pulsus defecit

 Pulsus defecit means when peripheral pulse is lag behind the heart rate at apex seen by stethoscope.

It can be seen 3 ways

1.One examiner can see it in two cardiac cycles.

In this case,First you should see the heart rate at apex with your stethoscope for 1 minute.

Then you count the radial pulse for one minute.

Assume that you get the heart rate at apex of the heart 90 beats per minute and the radial pulse is 70.So here Pulse of radial artery is 30 beats less so it is pulsus defecit.

2.Two examiner can examine in 1 cardiac cycle.In this case one examiner should see the heart rate with stethoscope and another one see the radial pulse.Both should start simultaneously and should see it for one minute.Then see the difference.

3.One examiner in 1 cardiac cycle also can examine it.For this the examiner should put the stethoscope in apex of the heart and with another hand count the the pulse rate in radial artery.Then count the the dropped beat in the radial artery than the heart rate at apex.And you should do it for full minute.

Pulsus defecit is commonly found in Atrial fibrillation.

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