Pulse - weak or absent

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Neck pulse

A weak pulse means you have difficulty feeling a person's pulse (heartbeat). An absent pulse means you cannot detect a pulse at all.

See also: CPR

Weak pulse; Absent pulse

An absent or weak pulse may affect all or one part of the body.

If a pulse cannot be detected by a non-medical professional, it doesn't always mean there is a problem. Sometimes, it can be hard for a non-medical person to detect a pulse in certain areas.

• Cardiac arrest (lack of an effective heartbeat)
• Improper technique used to feel for the pulse
• Normally weak pulse that is difficult to measure without proper instruments
• Shock

Review Date: 02/20/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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