Know Your Pulse - It could save your life
A pulse is the vibrations made through the body as blood is pumped around it by your heart. An irregular pulse can be a sign of small blood clots forming in your body.
People with these clots are more likely to have a stroke. Therefore it is really important for everyone to know what their pulse rate is and check it regularly.
Dr Zuhair Zarifa, Chair NHS Newham Clinical Commissioning Group and local GP, said:
“Being aware of your pulse is important, as it can indicate an abnormal heart rate or rhythm. Taking your pulse at various points throughout the day before and after doing activities is a good idea, as your pulse rate will change during the day, depending on what activity you are doing (this is normal).
To get your baseline pulse and normal rhythm – called your resting pulse, try doing this first thing in the morning and just before going to bed.”
“One of the easiest places to feel for a pulse is on your wrist, on the same side as your thumb. The number of beats per minute when you press lightly down on your wrist is your pulse rate. A normal pulse is normally between 60 and 100 beats per minute.”
More than two million Britons are affected by an abnormal heart rate. This causes at least 75,000 sudden cardiac (heart stopping) deaths each year in the UK.
