pulss

Pulss is a term used in Estonian to denote pulse, the rhythmic expansion of an artery resulting from the heartbeat. In medical contexts, pulss commonly refers to the arterial pulse as felt at various sites and to the heart rate, the number of heartbeats per minute. The pulse provides information about cardiovascular function and circulatory status.

The word is borrowed from the same root as the English "pulse" and the German "Puls," and appears in medical texts and everyday speech in Estonia. Clinically, pulss is assessed by palpation of arteries such as the radial artery at the wrist, the carotid artery in the neck, or the femoral artery in the groin. A clinician may document the pulse rate, rhythm (regular or irregular), and amplitude (strong, weak, thready, or bounding). A normal resting pulse rate for healthy adults typically ranges from about 60 to 100 beats per minute, though individual values vary with age, fitness, body temperature, medications, and hormonal status.

Abnormalities in pulss can indicate health issues, including tachycardia (elevated heart rate), bradycardia (low heart rate), or arrhythmias (irregular rhythm). Pulse rate is often measured alongside blood pressure and other vital signs in routine examinations.

Beyond medicine, pulss is also used in technical contexts to denote a pulse signal in electronics and physics, such as a short burst of energy or a pulse train. See also: pulse, tachycardia, bradycardia.