pulsiva

Pulsiva is a term used across several disciplines to refer to phenomena, devices, or processes that operate in discrete pulses rather than continuously. The exact meaning and scope are not standardized, and usage tends to be field-specific. The word derives from pulsus, Latin for “pulse,” with the suffix -iva forming a noun indicating a class or set in some languages.

In medicine and pharmacology, pulsiva may describe systems that administer drugs in a pulsatile manner, as opposed to constant infusion. Examples include pulsatile drug-delivery schemes and timing regimes that mimic natural hormonal or cardiac cycles. In cardiology and physiology, pulsiva can refer to pulse trains or waveform features measured by sensors that reflect rhythmic biological activity.

In engineering and physics, pulsiva can refer to pulse-generating devices such as electrical pulse generators, laser pulse sources, and pulsed-power systems used for testing and research. In signal processing and related fields, the term can describe trains of discrete pulses with defined repetition rate, width, and amplitude.

Because the term is not standardized, researchers typically specify the exact properties of the pulses when using it, including frequency, duty cycle, amplitude, and waveform shape. See also pulse train, pulsatile flow, pulsatile drug delivery, pulse generator, and pulsed power for related concepts.