Carotid palpation and heart rate changes in postmyocardial infarction patients.
Forty cardiac rehabilitation patients were selected to determine the effects of carotid artery palpation at different time periods during rest, exercise, and recovery on the bicycle ergometer and following jogging-in-place. Fifteen-second carotid artery palpation was performed twice during minutes 1 and 3. The experimenter palpated during minute 1 while the subject palpated during minute 3. A significant decrease in resting heart rate occurred during minute 1 when the experimenter palpated, but no significance was evident during minute 3 when the subject palpated. During exercise with experimenter palpation, a significant decrease in HR occurred during the second 15 seconds of minute 1. Subject palpation during minute 3 did not significantly influence exercise heart rate. Both experimenter and subject palpation during minutes 1 and 3, respectively, of recovery 1 (on the bike) resulted in significant decrease in recovery heart rate. Jogging-in-place (recovery 2) was not influenced by experimenter or subject palpation. The significance of these findings lies in the fact that, although carotid palpation had a significant influence on heart rate, the differences were too small to be determined by a 10- or 15-second count. Thus, carotid palpation cannot be considered a threat to the postmyocardial infarction patient's safety.
D002339:Carotid Arteries; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010173:Palpation; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012146:Rest