Difference Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rate (With Table)

Heart rate is a single and most trusted method to calculate and decide on the pumping health of one’s heart. Being a muscular organ formed from the muscle type cardiac that is found only in the heart, the heart rate is an excellent figurative calculation regarding the functional condition of the pumping unit. In modern medical terms, heart rate is the direct calculation of the number of times the heart beats given in a minute.

Pulse rate is an accurate measurement especially in cases where the patient finds a lack of energy and is fatigued. It helps in identifying the efficiency of the blood pressure gradient system within the body. Figurative decoding of the heartbeat can also be said to define the pulse rate that can be measured through multiple methods from multiple measurement points.

Comparison Table Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rate

What is Heart Rate? 

When a patient comes in with pale skin or with any bluish hue to their body, then the first thing measured by a physician is their heart rate.

This is because the pumping of the heart indirectly measures the blood that reaches the tissues, therefore, giving the patient the energy required by the body.

This energy is supplied by the oxygen present in blood that is oxygenated in the lungs and turn pumped by the heart via the systemic circulatory system.

The contraction of the cardiac muscles taken within 100 seconds can also be used as a definition for heart rate.

The regular heart rate of a normal adult at rest or in no exertion mode is between 60 and 100.

This means that the person’s cardiac muscles beat and therefore pump blood into the aorta 60-100 times per minute.

The heart rate can also indicate the swiftness of the cardiac muscles. This means that it can indicate how fast the muscles beat.

Heart rate below the minimum value of 60 or even lower comparatively doesn’t always mean that a person is in danger of cardiac arrest and death.

It can also be an indication of perfect health and smooth functioning muscle cardiac muscles.

This is conclusive proof that the heart need not beat overly fast and aggressively to have the body supplied with the required amount of oxygenated blood.

But if the heart rate is too low constantly, then it might be an indication of the patient requiring immediate medical care.

There could be several reasons as to why the heart rate is low. One of them is the medications consumed by the patient.

If not prescribed by a registered doctor, it is better to consult one before consuming the medicines as they can have side effects on the patient’s body.

Other spots are the inside of the elbow or the underside of the foot when stretched.

The regular pulse rate for a normal adult at rest is between 60-80 or even 100. This is calculated within a minute.

This means the amount of blood that the heart releases in a minute could be measured by the heartbeat rate.

The contraction of the heart creates a pulse pressure within the blood vessels of the human body that leads to a rise in the blood pressure and therefore the pulse rate.

As the heart reduces the amount of oxygenated blood pumped out by the systemic circulatory system, the pulse rate will eventually go below the heartbeat per minute.

If the pulse rate keeps reducing or rising above the average value, it can’t always be considered a negative factor.

It can be an indication of a healthy lifestyle with deep workouts and an athletic lifestyle.

The positive elements of the rapid variations in pulse rate are stress management capability and inclusively healthy eating habits and lifestyles.

But it could also have a few negative impacts. Smoking and obesity give drastic dips and rises in the pulse rates.

Main Differences Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rate

1. While the pulse rate can be measured from many concentration points all over the body, heart rate can only be calculated by placing a hand over the heart or by a stethoscope. 
2. The heart rate indirectly helps in the upward push of the blood to the brain primarily; on the other hand, the pulse rate is a systemic calculation of the blood pressure gradient along the body. 
3. In cases when the heart can’t pump enough blood, the pulse rate can drop below the heartbeat per minute whereas the heart rate tends to stay the same. 
4. A frequent increase or decrease in pulse rate can be both an indication of negative and positive impact on the body system whereas such frequent changes in the heart rate might create a pathway for heart disorders. 
5. While the heart rate is a direct measure of the heartbeat, pulse rate is a measurement of the upsurge of the blood that is the blood pressure. 

Conclusion

Heart rate and pulse rate in many ways give the same conclusive result.

In a healthy person, both the calculated values tend to be in sync with each other.

For an individual with massive variations in both the values, it would be advisable to check the medications they consume.

These medications can be the cause of many unknown issues in the body functioning that may eventually lead to a fatal condition.

In cases of people with obesity or unhealthy eating habits at rest a regular heart rate count can be considered to be below 100.

An athlete who works out daily and is constantly at an energetic pace can have a heart of 40 or less.

References

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/clc.4960130811
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/000287039190970S