Pulse - weak or absent

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• Y

Neck pulse

A weak pulse means you have difficulty feeling a person's pulse (heart beat). An absent pulse means you can not 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.

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

Review Date: 01/22/2007
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.