Big heart rate. Basic functional indicators of heart function

Heart rate (HR), or pulse, is the number of heartbeats per minute and a measure of how hard the heart is working to pump blood throughout the body. Resting heart rate refers to the lowest number of beats at those moments when the body is in a state of almost absolute rest. Knowing your resting heart rate can help you assess your overall health and determine normal heart rate values. Reducing this indicator can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Steps

Heart rate measurement

Find out your resting heart rate. Before taking measures to reduce your heart rate, it is important to know its current value. To do this, you need to measure the pulse at the carotid artery (in the neck) or at the wrist.

Take your pulse. To measure the carotid pulse, touch your index and middle fingers to the neck on one side of the trachea. Apply gentle pressure to feel the pulse. For the most accurate result, count the number of beats in 60 seconds.

You can calculate your heart rate in 10 seconds and multiply by 6, or in 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
To take your wrist pulse, place one hand with your palm facing up.
Using the index, middle and ring fingers of your other hand, press the area below the base of your thumb - you should feel a pulse.
If you have a stethoscope, you can use it. Lift up or take off your shirt, insert the stethoscope into your ears, place it against your chest, and off you go. Count your heartbeats in a minute.

Assess your resting heart rate. After you have measured your pulse, you need to know what its normal value should be. At rest, normal heart rate values are from 60 to 100. Values above 90 are considered high.

Know when to see a doctor. High resting heart rates are not immediately life-threatening, but they can lead to health problems in the long term. In such cases, it is recommended to gradually reduce your heart rate through exercise. It is necessary to consult a doctor if the pulse is very low or if there is an unexplained increase in heart rate, especially when accompanied by dizziness.

Do not smoke. It is known that smoking destroys the body, and among other negative effects is the fact that smokers have a higher resting heart rate than non-smokers. Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day or, better yet, quit smoking altogether to lower your heart rate and improve your health.
- Nicotine constricts blood vessels and has a detrimental effect on the condition of the heart muscle and blood vessels. Quitting smoking can normalize blood pressure, significantly improve circulation and overall body health, and reduce the risk of cancer and breathing problems.
Reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine and caffeine-containing products such as tea and coffee are known to increase your heart rate. Reduce your caffeine intake to lower your heart rate.

Don't drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases your heart rate, so stopping it can help lower it.
Reduce stress. Reducing stress in your life isn't easy, but over time it can help lower your heart rate. Severe stress has a negative impact on health. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation or tai chi. Try to devote some time every day to relaxation and deep breathing.
- Everyone is different, so find a way to relax that works for you.
- Soothing music or a long bath may help.

Some medications, including caffeine and nicotine, can speed up your heart rate. Your doctor can better weigh the benefits of a drug against its side effects.
Consult your physician regarding your general health. Resting heart rate is only one indicator of heart health. Your doctor may recommend that you undergo additional tests.

During physical activity, the functional parameters of the heart change. The heart rate increases, the stroke volume of the heart increases, blood flow indicators change, the respiratory rate increases, and changes occur in other organs. It is very important that heart performance indicators do not go beyond the maximum norms, especially for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Normal heart rate (HR) per minute in adults

The main indicators of heart function in adults are as follows:

the normal heart rate at rest is 65 beats/min: for trained people - 50-60 beats/min, for untrained people - 70-80 beats/min;
with age, heart rate decreases;
the heart rate per minute in women is 5 to 6 beats higher than in men;
Heart rate increases by 10% when you sit down and by 20% when standing;
during sleep, heart rate decreases by 5-7 beats/min;
after a meal, especially a protein meal, for 3 hours the heart rate increases by 3-5 beats/min;

The heart rate in adults increases in proportion to the ambient temperature (with an increase in body temperature by 10 C, the heart rate increases by 10 beats/min) and the intensity of physical activity.

Norms of stroke and cardiac output

In a physically active person, compared to a “lounger”, with a difference in heart rate of 20 beats/min, the heart beats 30,000 beats less frequently in 1 hour, and by more than 1,300,000 beats less in one year.

At rest (during diastole, relaxation), the volume of blood in the ventricle consists of three components:

systolic (stroke) volume ejected during heart contraction;
reserve volume, which increases the stroke volume when the contractile function of the myocardium increases (for example, during physical activity);
residual volume that is not ejected from the ventricle even with maximum myocardial contraction.

With increasing physical activity, the normal stroke volume of the heart increases due to the reserve volume. When the reserve blood volume is exhausted, the increase in stroke volume will stop, and at very high loads it will even decrease, since there will be no effective filling of the heart.

A detrained heart works uneconomically and responds to any load primarily by increasing heart rate rather than increasing stroke output. Regular physical activity gradually increases the power of the heart, which, contracting relatively less frequently but stronger, is able to ensure normal blood supply to all muscles involved in the load.

The heart of an untrained person at rest throws 50 - 70 ml of blood into the aorta in one contraction. Regular physical training improves heart function and increases stroke volume to 90 - 1 10 ml at rest.

The cardiac output is determined by stroke volume and heart rate. During physical activity, MOS increases due to the fact that with active muscle contraction, the veins are compressed, the outflow of blood from all organs increases and the heart fills with blood faster. At the beginning of work, MVR gradually increases due to stroke volume and an adequate increase in heart rate, and upon reaching a certain power it becomes stable.

Types of blood flow and its norms: speed and blood flow indicators

To create favorable conditions for metabolic processes during physical activity, in addition to increasing cardiac output, a redistribution of blood flow in organs and tissues is required. There are several types of blood flow, among them are muscular, coronary, cerebral and pulmonary.

Blood flow in muscles. During physical activity, heart rate, the volume of blood that is pushed from the heart into the vessels, and blood pressure increase. All this is necessary so that more oxygen reaches the working muscles, which are penetrated by thin blood vessels (capillaries). Some of them work, while others “sleep”. During physical work, the capillaries “wake up” and also start working. As a result, the surface area through which oxygen is exchanged between blood and tissue increases. This is what experts consider to be the main factor ensuring high performance of the heart.

The proportion of blood flow in the muscles in relation to the total blood flow in the body increases from 20% at rest to 80% at maximum loads.

Coronary blood flow:

supplies blood to the heart muscle through the right and left coronary arteries;
coronary blood flow indicators at rest - 60-70 ml/min per 100 g of myocardium;
increases by more than 5 times under load;
the speed of coronary blood flow is regulated by metabolic processes in the myocardium and the pressure in the aorta.

Pulmonary blood flow:

The rate of pulmonary blood flow is determined by the position of the body. At rest: lying down - 15% of the total blood volume, standing - 20% less than lying down;
cardiopulmonary blood flow increases during physical activity and is redistributed due to an increase in the pulmonary component (from 600 ml to 1400 ml) and a decrease in cardiac;
with intense physical activity, the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary capillaries increases by 2-3 times and the speed of blood passage through the lungs increases by 2-2.5 times.

Blood flow in internal organs. At rest, blood circulation in the internal organs accounts for 50% of the cardiac output. With increasing physical activity, it decreases and at its peak is only 3-4%. This ensures optimal blood supply to working muscles, heart and lungs.

The proportion of blood flow in the internal organs decreases from 50% at rest to 3-4% at maximum loads.

Features of respiratory rate during physical activity

The depth and frequency of breathing during physical activity increases due to the intensity of contractions of the respiratory muscles: the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. The more they are trained, the more effective ventilation of the lungs occurs, which increases with increasing load and oxygen demand. At maximum loads, it can increase 20 - 25 times compared to the resting state due to an increase in the frequency (up to 60 - 70 per minute) and volume (from 15 to 50% of the vital capacity of the lungs) of breathing. In trained people, the vital capacity of the lungs, the circulating air volume, and maximum ventilation increase, and the resting respiratory rate decreases. The peculiarity of breathing during physical activity is that regular training can increase the maximum oxygen consumption by 15 - 30%.

After inhalation, oxygen passes through the upper respiratory tract and lungs into the blood. A small proportion of oxygen dissolves in the blood plasma, most of it binds to a special protein - hemoglobin, which is contained in red blood cells. It is he who carries oxygen to working muscles.

Oxygen consumption increases with exercise intensity. However, there comes a time when breathing during physical activity is no longer accompanied by an increase in oxygen consumption. This level is called maximum oxygen consumption.

Carbon dioxide, which we release when we exhale, is the most important regulator of the function of internal organs. Its deficiency leads to spasms of the bronchi, blood vessels, and intestines and may be one of the causes of angina pectoris, arterial hypertension, bronchial asthma, stomach ulcers, and colitis. In order to avoid carbon dioxide deficiency in the body, it is not recommended to breathe very deeply. “Shallow” breathing is considered useful, in which the desire to breathe deeper remains.

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You most likely know your blood pressure readings. But do you know what your resting heart rate is? What should be the norm, and when should you be on guard? If the increase in heart rate at rest is present for a long time, this indicates too frequent heart contractions. A prolonged increase in heart rate at rest leads to heart damage. Many studies show that a lower heart rate is associated with longevity, and that a high resting heart rate is associated with a shorter lifespan. The slower a person's resting heart rate, the better for their health. A slow resting heart rate per minute is one of the indicators of physical fitness. almost 2 times slower than the heart of people not related to sports. So, what should be the normal heart rate for a healthy person? What does the acceleration of the heartbeat dynamics mean?

Normal heart rate at rest

A pulse of 60 beats per minute is ideal. Previously, a healthy heart rate was considered to be between 70 beats per minute and 80. New research findings have changed the ideal resting heart rate (heart rate) to a heart rate of 60. Large epidemiological studies have confirmed that longer life is associated with a lower heart rate. in 1 minute in a state of calm. Operating at low speeds provides the heart with wear resistance and durability.

Research has also shown the negative effects of an increased heart rate, i.e., the heart muscle constantly working faster. People with a heart rate of 75 beats per minute or more (77 or higher) have a 3 times increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Normal for men and women

The normal heart rate of an adult in a supine position, measured immediately after waking up, is 61–72 beats/min. in men, and 67–76 beats/min. among women. The norm in women is higher due to a physiologically determined higher heart rate.

The actual number of heart beats in an adult at rest is measured during daily activities. It increases slightly, but should not exceed (at rest). When moving, you can observe an increase in rhythm - a healthy person can have a pulse of 85 beats per minute.

Indicators in a child

Heart rate in children is individual, varies, and depends on many factors. Causes of a high heart rate (as well as a low one) include physical activity or lack thereof, general health, environmental influences, and the child's current mood.

Children usually have a higher resting heart rate than adults. A newborn's heart beats 160 times/min; 12-year-old children usually have a pulse of 90–100 beats/min. The indicators for girls and boys are no different. The resting heart rate reaches adult values after 15 years.

Common values:

Age, years	Average number of contractions per minute
Newborns	140
1	130
2	120
4	110
6	105
8	100
10	90
12	80
15	75

Normal indicators for athletes

The main goal of training an athlete is to increase physical performance. Planning and overall management of training is a creative process that determines the direction and pace of development from beginner to professional.

Measurable biological variables, including resting heart rate, are important when monitoring your workout.

The indicator of how much a quiet heart rate should be is an indicator of the state of fitness. During endurance exercise, the heart enlarges and the parasympathetic system is activated, which leads to a decrease in heart contractions. Almost all professional athletes have levels of less than 50 beats per minute (most often, less than 45 beats per minute; the lowest value was recorded by M. Indurain - 28 beats per minute).

The pulsating heart rate is measured with a pulsometer or palpation on the large arteries, in the morning, after waking up, in a lying position. Normal fluctuations are 4–6 beats/min. If fluctuations exceed 8 beats/min, it is necessary to look for the reason why they increase. Major factors include illness or overtraining (in which case training should be interrupted until the condition stabilizes).

General characteristics of heart rate

The heartbeat can be felt in the neck, wrists, and groin area. It is transmitted through large arteries to every organ. If the artery passes under the surface of the skin, a pulsation can be felt. The heartbeat, reflected by the pulse in a person, is caused by the contraction of the left ventricle and is an indicator of heart rhythm.

The contractions of the heart react sensitively to the needs of the body. The main reason why the pulse quickens is represented by physical stress, because at this time the body experiences great needs for oxygen supply. Nerve impulses also affect its speed. Therefore, the pulse increases in a state of stress, fear, or when expecting something unpleasant.

Important! Under the influence of these factors, a pulse of 70 in a couple of minutes can increase to even 180 beats per minute at rest!

Heart rate develops from birth. Newborns' hearts beat at a rate of 140–180 beats/min. Increased is associated with higher requirements of the developing organism. The heart muscle is not yet prepared enough for pumping. The values gradually decrease, and values characteristic of an adult are measured during puberty.

Normal heart rate for an untrained person

Heart rate is the speed at which the heart contracts. It is expressed in the number of beats per minute. In a calm state, the standards are determined to be 60–90 beats/min, but for professional athletes the figure is usually half that. The factors that determine why the contraction frequency jumps are represented by increased tension, increased physical activity, and stress.

An excessively high heart rate (up to 200 beats per minute) can be a symptom of heart disease, but also has other causes. Often the cause of the disorder is the use of hormonal contraception, poor lifestyle, and obesity. This condition is accompanied by a number of manifestations: a person has difficulty breathing, he suffers from excessive sweating. In such cases, it is important to consult a doctor.

Important! In people who are far from sports, the heart functions less economically and contracts faster. The frequency of contractions increases sharply even after a slight load on the body.

If you are not an active athlete and have a very low heart rate (up to 55 beats per minute), which is accompanied by difficulty breathing, severe fatigue, this may indicate a serious problem that requires contacting a doctor who will advise what to do to stabilize the condition. Minor deviations can be corrected without medication. A very low contraction rate can be solved by using a pacemaker.

In a dream

Heart rate at rest reaches its lowest values during sleep, the indicators vary from person to person. During sleep, the body enters a calming phase, so the heart behaves similarly - the heart rate drops by 10-20%. After waking up and getting out of bed, the heart rate returns to normal.

Heart rate indicators according to age

The resting heart rate of an untrained adult varies somewhat depending on age - it differs between a young adult and an older person. The normal human pulse is divided into 3 groups by year:

<35 лет;
35–50 years old;
>50 years old.

Up to 35 years old

The resting heart rate for a person under 35 years of age is 60–90 beats/min. A pulse of 90 or higher is a sign of cardiac dysfunction that requires referral to a specialist.

Average age

Before the age of 50, the average resting heart rate should be approximately 70 beats/min. As in the case above, a high heart rate at rest is a reason to consult a specialist.

Elderly age

In older people, the number of heart beats increases slightly; the resting pulse is:

50–60 years – 75 beats/min;
60–80 years – 80 beats/min.

Important! A significant change in heart contractions in an adult at rest may indicate the possible development of the disease!

Pivot table

The table shows the average indicators for 4 age groups:

What do abnormalities in cardiac activity indicate?

The number of heartbeats is associated with a disturbance in its rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia). Physiologically, a low heart rate is common in athletes and indicates a stronger heart that can pump more blood (vagotonia).

Arrhythmia

Cardiac arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rhythm that causes disruption of its activity. For example, in a calm state the heart beats, as if running. Symptoms of arrhythmia:

cardiopalmus;
feeling of cardiac arrest;
irregular chaotic pulse;
chest pain;
weakness;
fatigue;
disturbance of consciousness;
lack of breathing.

You can calm your pulse during arrhythmia with the help of special medications prescribed by your doctor.

Bradycardia

The next disorder characterized by low heart rate is bradycardia, in which the actual heart rate slows down to less than 60 beats per minute. in men and less than 65 beats/min. among women. This disorder can be caused by a heart attack, intracranial injury, or certain medications taken.

Tachycardia

The opposite of this disorder is tachycardia, in which the number of heart contractions increases, amounting to more than 100 beats/min. in men and 110 beats/min. Among women. This condition most often occurs during physical overexertion, in stressful situations. However, tachycardia may also indicate the presence of a febrile illness, anemia, heart failure, intoxication, or a thyroid disorder. In such cases, in deciding how to calm the pulse, eliminating the primary disorder or disease plays an important role.

Heart rate monitoring is recommended for all people who care about their health. Pulse monitoring is a good prevention of many diseases. It will help a person understand his body, and in case of any discrepancies, it will be the first signal about the need to see a doctor.

Pulse measurement allows you to assess the functioning of the cardiovascular system and draw preliminary conclusions about possible disorders.

Heart rate is an important criterion in the diagnosis of various diseases, in particular arrhythmias.

To correctly measure pulse fluctuations, you need to know the technique of the procedure and be able to adequately evaluate the results obtained. The normal heart rate varies significantly by age, since even gender affects the heart rate. Let's take a closer look at what factors the pulse value depends on and what readings of this criterion are normal.

Increased heart rate

Rhythmic vibrations of the walls of blood vessels, provoked by contractions of the heart muscle, are usually called pulseohm.

It can accelerate or slow down depending on the presence of physiological and external influence factors. Increased heart rate is usually caused by the following reasons:

strong emotional disturbance;
physical fatigue;
significant stress on the body;
consumption of alcoholic beverages and coffee.

There are also other factors against which the pulse may be accelerated. These include: time of day, increased body and air temperature, food intake. A person's age and gender play a role. It has been proven that women have a slightly higher pulse rate than men, by about 7–8 beats. The indicators can be influenced by the functional state of the body, various diseases and organic lesions. The speed of pulse fluctuations even depends on height - the taller a person is, the slower his heart contractions occur.

It has been noted that a slowdown in people’s heart rate is observed at night, and a natural acceleration is typical for the second half of the day. The peculiarity of this criterion of heart function is that the same pulse indicators indicate different conditions. For example, for a newborn, a heartbeat of 140 beats per minute is considered normal, but for an adult this is a too rapid pulse, indicating a disturbance in the functioning of the heart. It is also worth noting that the pulse rate in older people is higher than in young and middle-aged people.

Normal heart rate by age

In order to accurately characterize the permissible norms and possible deviations of pulse fluctuations for people of different ages, we will use the table.

Person's age	Minimum permissible heart rate value	Maximum permissible heart rate value	Average heart rate
Newborn period (from 0 to 1 month)	110	170	140
From 1 to 12 months.	102	162	132
From 1 to 2 years	94	154	124
From 4 to 6 years	86	126	106
From 6 to 8 years	78	118	98
From 8 to 10 years	68	108	88
From 10 to 12 years	60	100	80
From 12 to 15 years	55	95	75
From 15 to 50 years	60	80	70
From 50 to 60 years	64	84	74
From 60 to 80 years	69	89	79

Using this table, you can correctly evaluate the results of measuring pulse fluctuations. But, in addition to the fact that everyone should know the normal pulse value for their age, they should understand what a slow or accelerated heartbeat indicates.

If the pulse rate exceeds the maximum permissible value, this should be a reason to seek medical help.

Increased heart rate may be due to functional factors. For example, a pulse of up to 90 beats per minute or higher is observed in women with the onset of menopause and indicates an attack tachycardia. A decrease in the level of the hormone estrogen in the blood, caused by other reasons, also leads to an increase in heart rate.

How to distinguish functional changes in pulse from pathological ones? In the first case, people do not have complaints about symptoms such as:

dizziness;
chest pain;
visual impairment;
dyspnea;
pre-fainting state.

If the listed signs are present, then the increase in pulse fluctuations is associated with pathological reasons.

Diseases that can provoke tachycardia (increased heart rate):

congenital heart defects, organ pathologies;
diseases of the endocrine system;
CNS lesions;
tumor formations;
some infectious diseases.

Regardless of what causes the increased heart rate, you need to seek medical help in cases where the maximum heart rate for age is exceeded.

The maximum permissible value without a table can be calculated using the formula: subtract the number of full years of a person from 220.

Both an increase and a decrease in the rate of contraction of the heart muscle can be of a functional or pathological nature. A slowing heart rate to 60 beats per minute or less is a symptom bradycardia .

Diseases in which a slow pulse is observed:

myocardial infarction;
intoxication of the body;
increased intracranial pressure;
hypothyroidism;
organic heart lesions;
ulcerative pathology;
inflammation of the heart muscle tissue.

Bradycardia can also be a consequence of taking certain types of medications.

It is important to regularly measure and monitor pulse fluctuations, and if deviations from the norm are detected, contact a cardiologist!

Resting pulse is an indicator of overall health. Everyone should know their normal resting heart rate and periodically count it, since the slightest deviation in rhythm or frequency signals illness or pathology. For accurate results, it is important to know the rules for measuring heart rate.

How to measure pulse

Heart rate can be measured at the carotid artery, at the temples, under the knee, and at the bend of the elbow, but the wrist remains the most popular measurement site.
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Most people, even those far from medicine, are familiar with the basic concepts of the rules for measuring pulse, but still make mistakes in measurements. It is better to measure the pulse using 3 fingers: ring, middle and index on the radial or radial artery, which is located slightly below the thumb. When measured correctly, each finger feels the beating in the artery. There is no cause for concern if the heart rate on the left and right arms is different; this is a normal physiological feature of the body. In order for the indicators to be truthful, it is worth paying attention to the following factors:

At different times of the day, heart rate is different, so you need to constantly record indicators at the same time of day. Measuring your pulse at rest should be done in the morning, after waking up, while lying in bed - this is the best way, recognized by doctors.
You cannot measure the number of beats for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4, since rhythm irregularities, for example, tachycardia or bradycardia, will not be detected.
You should refrain from taking measurements after eating, exercising, taking alcohol and medications, after a bath or poor sleep.

Normal heart rate at rest

The normal resting heart rate of an adult ranges from 60 to 90 beats per minute, but this is an average value. Pulse rates differ between men and women and depend on age. Under the influence of emotions or physical activity, heart rate increases, sometimes even up to 200 beats per minute, and this is considered normal.

Normal for women and men

The pulse rate is different for women and men.

Since men are the stronger sex and endure negative life events and emotions more steadfastly, their heart rate is always lower than that of women, who are initially prone to strong experiences. Although, from a theoretical point of view, the normal heart rate at rest in men and women is almost the same, in life the difference is 7-8 units. But these are just guesses, because there is no scientific explanation for this phenomenon.

As you age, your heart rate tends to increase. In a state of death throes, a person’s heart rate sometimes increases to 160 beats per minute. If the deviation from the norm is permanent, then we are talking about the presence of rhythm disturbances: arrhythmia or bradycardia, which require consultation with a cardiologist. For the most part, arrhythmias do not cause significant harm to the human body and serious treatment is not required.

Norm for children

The heart rate of a child directly depends on age.

At birth, a child's heart rate is twice as high as that of adults, with an average value of 140-150 beats per minute. Gradually, as you grow older, every 3-4 years, the heart rate decreases by 10-15 and by the age of 20 it reaches 60-80 beats per minute - the norm for adults. Therefore, if a small child’s heart rate reaches 100 beats/min, this is not a pathology, but normal functioning of the heart.

Norm for an athlete

The word “athlete” should be understood as people who play sports professionally, amateurs who do it for themselves and for the sake of the beauty of their body, and people whose work involves intense physical activity. A person who plays sports has a normal resting heart rate of 30 to 50 beats/min. Such low indicators do not harm the athlete and the person feels absolutely normal. The difference between the heart rate of an untrained adult at rest and the heart rate of an athlete is only a large gap in the indicators. For an ordinary person, a heart rate of 40-50 beats per minute is a sign of bradycardia, but for an athlete it is quite a good indicator.

Changes in heart rate with age

The change in contraction frequency in childhood is associated with the growth of the body and, in particular, with the growth of the heart, which grows and is capable of pumping a larger volume of blood in one beat. After 40-50 years, the heart rate changes due to the aging of all body systems. The heart ages and its ability to perform major functions deteriorates:

the elasticity of blood vessels decreases;
the ability of heart tissue to contract deteriorates and the volume of blood emitted by them decreases;
The heart's sensitivity to hormones increases, which affects blood pressure and heart rate.

Why do heart rate changes occur?

Stress affects a person’s psychological state, thereby increasing the heart rate.

Changes in heart rate are influenced by a number of factors not related to the body. Temporary tachycardia occurs due to strong mental and emotional overexcitation and stress. An increase in heart rate in a healthy person during physical activity is the body’s adaptation to a change in regime. Heart rate is also affected by changes in temperature, which especially affects weather-sensitive people. Food or drinks can provoke a sharp increase in heart rate: coffee or strong tea. In sleep, the heart rate, on the contrary, slows down. In addition to external reasons, changes in heart rate occur due to pathological processes inside the body. For this reason, doctors distinguish between the concepts of high and low pulse.