Popliteal Pulses are the heartbeats that occur when the blood flows through the popliteal vein (the main artery that supplies oxygenated blood from the lungs to all parts of your body). They are also called popliteal rhythm or pulsatile rhythms.
The pulse is not always continuous but rather irregular. Some pulses last only a few seconds while others may last several minutes.
When the heart beats, it pumps blood throughout your body. Blood travels through the arteries and veins in your body until it reaches where it needs to go.
The heart then pumps blood back out again. If there is no obstruction in one of these pathways, then blood will continue to flow normally. However, if something blocks off one of these paths, then blood cannot return to the heart properly. Instead, it must travel through another pathway.
If this happens, then the normal pumping action stops completely and your heartbeat becomes irregular. You might have a regular heartbeat with occasional pauses in between or you might have a fast heartbeat with no pause at all.
Either way, this is a medical emergency and you should seek immediate medical care.
These types of irregular heartbeats are called abnormal rhythms. It is not uncommon for these conditions to happen when you are sleeping or lying down.
This is why it’s very important for you to be aware your body’s sensations and reactions while you are in these types of positions. If you feel that something doesn’t feel quite right, then it is important that you seek medical attention immediately.
The most common cause of an irregular heartbeat is sleeping or laying down on your back. This is why it is important for you to avoid these positions whenever possible.
If you feel discomfort in your heart while you are lying down, try changing positions and see if that helps. If not, then you should seek medical attention immediately.
If you are unable to get up, then it is very important that you make sure someone is by your side. You should teach them how to feel for your pulse and they should call emergency medical assistance immediately.
Most people do not realize how serious this condition is and it can quickly become life-threatening if immediate action is not taken.
You should ask the person checking your pulse to count out sixty seconds and then feel for your pulse after each interval. This is the estimated rate of your heart beat.
If it takes more than sixty seconds to count to sixty, then that means that your heart beat is slower than sixty beats per minute. If it takes less than sixty seconds to count to sixty, then that means that your heart beat is faster than sixty beats per minute.
When you are sleeping or in a resting position, the lower half of your body generally becomes colder and takes on a pale appearance. The upper half of your body becomes warmer than the other.
Additionally, your ankles and feet become puffy and swollen. This condition is known as peripheral edema.
If you have peripheral edema and you are experiencing an irregular heartbeat, then it is very important that you seek medical attention immediately. This condition is a warning sign for something much more serious.
Please get help as soon as possible so that medical professionals can treat you before any irreversible damage is done.
If you are experiencing irregular heartbeats, peripheral edema, or any other symptoms of heart disease, it is very important that you seek medical attention immediately. Don’t let this condition go untreated.
Too much stress on your heart can lead to a fatal heart attack if intervention is not taken immediately.
Sources & references used in this article:
The utility and durability of vein bypass grafts originating from the popliteal artery for limb salvage by JL Mills, V Gahtan, RM Fujitani… – … journal of surgery, 1994 – americanjournalofsurgery.com
Clinical characteristics and outcome in 223 diabetic patients with deep foot infections by M Eneroth, J Apelqvist… – Foot & ankle …, 1997 – journals.sagepub.com
A Matter of Life and Limb: Get to Know Acute Limb Ischemia by EO Demand, I Awards – emsworld.com
Transmetatarsal amputations and arterial surgery in diabetic patients by FC Wheelock Jr – New England Journal of Medicine, 1961 – Mass Medical Soc
Acute peripheral arterial occlusion by MW Day – Nursing2019, 2004 – journals.lww.com
